Latino attitudes toward mental health treatment and criminal justice involvement: it’s great for you; it’s just not for us

Abstract

Despite comparable rates of mental illness, Latinos are unlikely to seek mental health treatment, face more barriers, and are more likely to be referred to treatment by the criminal justice system compared to whites. This study examined Latino attitudes toward seeking mental health treatment to ascertain how those attitudes predicted perceptions of the relationship between untreated mental illness and future criminal justice involvement. Although Latinos generally held positive attitudes towards seeking mental health treatment, deeply ingrained cultural attitudes hinder their personal help-seeking behaviors. Results also revealed that those who expressed a willingness to seek treatment, were older, or married were more likely to recognize the link between untreated mental illness and future criminal justice involvement.

Keywords:

• Latino
• mental health
• perceptions
• quantitative

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the following colleagues, students, and friends for their input and support in developing this manuscript. First, Director Julie Bazan and her wonderful team of research students at the Area Health Education Center for their work in disseminating this survey. Dr. John Kilburn for his assistance in networking in Laredo. The community of Laredo for their participation in this study. Talia Marin for her assistance on earlier versions of the manuscript literature review. Finally, I would like to thank the reviewers of this manuscript for your feedback and dedication to the peer-review process. It is oftentimes a thankless job.

Disclosure statement

There are no known conflicts of interest to disclose.

Table 1. History and attitudes toward mental illness and criminal justice.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brittany J. Hood

Brittany Hood is an assistant professor of criminal justice in the Department of Social Sciences at Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas. Her primary line of research examines and seeks to improve criminal justice experiences across police, courts, and corrections for those with serious mental illness. Her prior research has explored what happens to mental health court non-completers, perceptions of procedural justice in problem-solving court participants, and how organizational factors affect how treatment decisions are made in community mental health centers. Her current research projects examine the pathways individuals take into the criminal justice and mental health systems, the role of mental health in youth affiliated with gangs, race in problem-solving courts, and the role of trauma and criminal justice involvement in mental health treatment for those involved in the criminal justice system.