Testing the Criterion Validity of the CAAPE for Screening Co-Occurring Disorders among Jail Inmates

A growing body of research indicates that the reentry of prisoners back into society is among the most pressing issues facing the criminal justice system. Likewise, research indicates that significant proportions of justiceinvolved individuals are characterized by a much higher prevalence of substance abuse, mental health disorders, and more importantly, the co-occurrence of these phenomena. Individuals with co-occurring disorders have long criminal histories and may even be under the influence of the disorders as criminogenic factors at the time of the commission of a crime. Thus, the effective screening of co-occurring disorders is a necessary prerequisite for both treatments while incarcerated and the development of community-based treatment as part of the reentry process. The present study uses 170 inmates from a county jail that are participating in a focused reentry program to test the criterion validity of the Comprehensive Addictions and Psychological Evaluation (CAAPE) instrument. The results of this study show that there are particular drugs of abuse and specific mental health disorders that are associated with criminal history. More importantly, the results suggest that the subscales of the CAAPE establish a strong connection between the co-occurring disorders and criminal behavior.