The bridging program for social reinsertion. Early detection of people with serious mental illness who are prosecuted in Spain

Abstract

A high prevalence of mental health problems is found in people sentenced to alternative non-custodial measures. This paper analyses the data obtained during a year of operation of the Extended Bridge Program of the Secretaria General de Instituciones Penitenciarias (SGIP) which aims to detect and care for people with serious mental illness, who could comply with a judicially imposed measure by participating in specific intervention programs, improving their health, their adherence to treatment and promoting their inclusion in the society, through psychosocial rehabilitation interventions.