JailsarethelargestserviceprovidersofmentalhealthintheUnitedStates.Unlikeprisons,whereallincarceratedindividualshavebeenconvictedofacrimeandareservinglongsentences,mostindividualsincarceratedinjailsarewaitingadispositiontotheircourtcase,makingthispretrialenvironmentparticularlychaotic.Jaildetaineeshavehigherprevalenceratesofmentalillness,trauma,suicide,andsubstanceusethanindividualsinthecommunityoreveninprisons.Adequatementalhealthinterventionsareessentialtopreventsuicide;tomitigateacutepsychopathology,retraumatization,andstress;andtoreducerecidivism.Mentalhealthpracticeandresearchinjailsrequiresspecializedknowledge,butthevastmajorityoftheliteratureoncorrectionalmentalhealthisderivedfromprisonresearch.TheHandbookofMentalHealthAssessmentandTreatmentinJailsdrawsuponexistingresearchandtheexperiencesofarangeofcorrectionalpsychologists,psychiatrists,andresearcherstoprovideguidanceforworkingwithpeoplewithmentalhealthneedsinjails.TheHandbookbothadvancesknowledgeincorrectionalmentalhealthinthejailsettingandservesasacalltoactionforresearcherstocontinuedevelopingascientificbaseforjailcorrectionalmentalhealth.Chaptersincludelegalandethicalconsiderationsinjails,reentryissuesthatarespecifictojails,interventionsforcompetencyrestorationinjaildetainees,assessmentandtreatmentofneurodevelopmentalandneurocognitivedisorders,specialconsiderationsforruraljails,andspecialpopulationssuchasadolescentsandwomen.Thisbookwillserveasago-toguideformentalhealthprofessionalswhoprovideclinicalservicesinjails,jailadministrators,andresearchers.
