Effectiveness of Forensic Assertive Community Treatment on Forensic and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

• Author: Laura Dellazizzo,Alain Lesage,Alexandre Dumais,Clara Lessard-Deschênes,Marie-Hélène Goulet,Anne G. Crocker
• DOI: 10.1177/00938548211061489
• Published date: 01 June 2022
• Date: 01 June 2022
• Subject Matter: Articles

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR, 2022, Vol. 49, No. 6, June 2022, 838 –852.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548211061489

Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions

© 2021 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology

838

EFFECTIVENESS OF FORENSIC ASSERTIVE

COMMUNITY TREATMENT ON FORENSIC AND

HEALTH OUTCOMES

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

MARIE-HÉLÈNE GOULET

LAURA DELLAZIZZO

CLARA LESSARD-DESCHÊNES

ALAIN LESAGE

Université de Montréal

Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal

ANNE G. CROCKER

Institut national de psychiatrie légale Philippe-Pinel

ALEXANDRE DUMAIS

Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal

Université de Montréal

Institut national de psychiatrie légale Philippe-Pinel

Given the increasing literature on forensic assertive community treatment (FACT), we conducted a systematic review and

meta-analysis to explore the effectiveness of FACT among justice-involved individuals with severe mental illness. The

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Sixteen studies

were included in the systematic review, six of which were included in the meta-analyses for a total of 1,246 participants.

Mixed results regarding health-related outcomes were found. The pre-post FACT analysis and comparison with control

groups did not yield significant results other than increased outpatient service use. Results on forensic outcomes were more

compelling. Both the narrative review and the meta-analysis highlighted that FACT programs may improve justice outcomes

such as the number of days spent in jail. More high quality and multisite randomized controlled trials are needed to consoli-

date findings. Further research is needed to examine other psychosocial factors related to FACT program success.

Keywords: systematic review; meta-analysis; forensic assertive community; criminal; health

AUTHORS’ NOTE: The authors would like to thank Marie Désilets, librarian at the Institut universitaire en santé

mentale de Montréal, for her contribution to the search strategy. M.H.G., C.L.D., L.D., A.L., and A.D. designed the

review protocol. M.H.G. and C.L.D. conducted the literature review and drafted the manuscript. L.D., C.L.D., and

A.D. conducted the meta-analysis. L.D., A.L., A.C., and A.D. provided feedback, contributed to writing, and revised

the manuscript. All authors listed meet the authorship criteria according to the latest guidelines of the International

Committee of Medical Journal Editors. All authors are in agreement with the manuscript. M.H.G. is backed by a

Recruitment and Retention Fund from the Fondation de l’Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal. The

authors declare no conflict of interest. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Marie-Hélène

Goulet, Faculté des sciences infirmières, Chercheure régulière, Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire en

santé mentale de Montréal, Pavillon Marguerite d’Youville, 2375, chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catherine, Bureau 6059,

Montréal, Quebec, Canada H3T 1A8; e-mail: marie-helene.goulet@umontreal.ca.

1061489CJBXXX10.1177/00938548211061489Criminal Justice and BehaviorGoulet et al. / Forensic Assertive Community Treatment Outcomes

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