Community Reintegration Programs for Successful Reentry for Individuals Deemed Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity

Very little research has been conducted on the institution of community reintegration programs for individuals deemed not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI). In the United States, each state can determine the path for community reentry with the NGRI population. California has a strategic and supportive reentry program that requires services such as drug testing, individual therapy, and close monitoring. Other states, including North Carolina, do not have a reentry program in place for the NGRI population. No research exists comparing states with conditional release programs and states without these programs. Consistence in community reintegration programs among all states can help members deemed NGRI successfully re-integrate into the community and improve the lives of individuals rehabilitating from a crime they once committed. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of community integration programs on individuals released from state psychiatric hospitals that were deemed NGRI in California and North Carolina. Based on Pavlov's theory of classical conditioning and Bandura's social learning theory, a structured and supportive program can be developed to reintegrate the NGRI population while maintaining the safety of the individuals and the community. Using data from 10 qualitative interviews, results indicated that individuals in the CONREP program are more likely to be released from a state psychiatric hospital and less likely to reoffend than individuals without a community reintegration program. The NGRI population may benefit from the research results through creating consistent and structured community reentry programs in states without a community reintegration program.