Conducting Health Disparities Research with Criminal Justice Populations: Examining Research, Ethics, and Participation

The Psychometric Properties of the Brief Symptom Inventory in Men under Criminal Justice Involvement: Implications for Forensic Social Workers in Practice Settings

The purpose of this study was to assess the factor structure and psychometric properties of the original and a revised modification of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) in 259 black and Latino males, aged thirty-five to sixty-seven, who had been released from a New York state prison or a New York City jail. The data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, principal axis factoring and confirmatory factor analysis. Standardised factor loadings were evaluated at 0.05, model fit was evaluated using the chi-square statistic, and fit indices were examined. Items whose communalities fell below 0.30 were eliminated from the procedure. The findings did not yield the same number of factors as the original BSI, but the revised BSI model fitted the current data better. This modified factor structure reduced the BSI to the nineteen most appropriate items to assess five key common psychiatric symptoms affecting men under community supervision. The results of the current factor structure suggest that the psychiatric disorders experienced by men under community supervision may differ from the populations studied by the original BSI factor structure. Forensic social work ought to examine the psychometric properties of standardised measures for different populations such that appropriate instruments may be specifically targeted and maximised.

Exploring the Use of Special Housing Units by Men Released From New York Correctional Facilities: A Small Mixed-Methods Study

This small, mixed-methods study sought to understand the use of special housing units among formerly incarcerated men. In the present study, 110 participants were placed in solitary confinement, ranging from ≤30 days to 20 years, with a mean of 2 years (SD = 2.55). These men ranged in age from 35 to 67 years, with a mean age of 46 years. Years of incarceration ranged from less than 30 days to 34 years; the mean number of years incarcerated was 4 (SD = 6.39). Of the 110 participants, qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 men to explore their experiences during time spent in solitary. The qualitative themes that emerged from the study were getting special housing units might be used for punishment, getting used to solitary, and getting solitary might mean peace of mind. Personalized reentry plans for men placed in special housing units facilities are urgently needed.

The smoking behaviors and cancer-related disparities among urban middle aged and older men involved in the criminal justice system

This study examined cancer knowledge, mental health, and tobacco use in formerly incarcerated men. The Cancer-Health Research Study with Formerly Incarcerated Men in New York City used a cross-sectional research design to examine cancer knowledge and prevention (CKP) outcomes among 259 justice-involved males, ages 35-67. CKP was assessed using items from the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey. Psychological symptoms were examined using the Brief Symptom Inventory. Of the 259 men who completed the survey, 76% of the respondents self-reported as current smokers. Current smokers smoked between 1 and 40 cigarettes per day. The mean number of cigarettes smoked per day was 10.37 (SD = 6.76). Sixty-five percent (n = 165) of the respondents underwent cancer-screening tests. CKP scores ranged from 2 to 28; the mean was 15.05 (SD = 5.49), indicating that the men scored very low in terms of CKP. CKP scores were negatively associated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day, τ = -.13, p = .01. These results have important implications for enhancing access to cancer-health education programs in justice-involved settings.