Reducing Recidivism and Improving Outcomes for People with Complex Health Needs

Fellows: Alden Green, Iris Kalka, Christiana Smith, Benjamin Stenhaug
Data Science Mentor(s): Pedro Saleiro
Project Partner: Johnson County, Kansas
[Short Presentation Video] [Github Repository]

The criminal justice system often deals with individuals with mental illness, many of whom don’t receive appropriate services and treatment. Johnson County, Kansas partnered with DSSG in 2016 to predict the likelihood of re-entry into the criminal justice system for people who had previously interacted with both the mental health and criminal justice systems. This year, Johnson County expanded our access to data from police departments and public health centers to improve these predictions. We worked with Johnson County to allow them to effectively allocate preventative and proactive mental health resources to reduce the risk of incarceration for individuals with mental health needs.