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Don Linhorst, Ph.D., M.S.W.

Professor Emeritus of Social Work
School of Social Work

My area of research is the intersection of the mental health and criminal justice systems, including the insanity defense, mental health courts and jail-based substance abuse treatment. I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to involve students in my research so they can learn more about these highly vulnerable individuals.

- Don Linhorst, Ph.D., M.S.W.

Courses Taught

Statistics for Criminology and Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Crime, Introduction to Social Work Research, Evaluation of Social Work Practice

Education

Ph.D., University of Missouri-St. Louis
M.S.W., Saint Louis University
M.A., University of Missouri-St. Louis
B.S.W., University of Missouri-St. Louis

Research Interests

  • The intersection of the criminal justice and mental health systems, particularly the insanity defense, mental health courts, and corrections-based substance abuse treatment.
  • Stress and policing
  • Homelessness

Publications and Media Placements

Book

Linhorst, D. M. (2006). Empowering people with severe mental illness: A practical guide. New York: Oxford University Press.

Book Chapters

Linhorst, D. M., Dirks-Linhorst, P. A., & Sy, J. (2018). Criminal justice responses to offenders with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In W. Lindsay & J. L. Taylor (Eds.). (2018). The Wiley Handbook on Offenders with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (pp. 86-104). Street Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Press.

Journal Articles

  1. Linhorst, D. M., Kondrat, D., Eikenberry, J., & Dirks-Linhorst, P. A. (2020). The role of mental health courts in mitigating family violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Online first, August 25, 2020.
  2. Bello, J. K., Hearing, C., Salas, J., Weinstock, J., & Linhorst, D. M.(2020). Trends in substance use by gender among participants in a jail-based substance use disorder treatment program: 1998 – 2016. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 65(1), 97-102.
  3. Dirks-Linhorst, P. A, Linhorst, D. M., & Loux, T. (2019). Criminal court-ordered psychiatric evaluations: Does gender play a role? Women and Criminal Justice, 29(6), 303-322.
  4. Dirks-Linhorst, P. A., Linhorst, D. M., & Loux, T. (2018). The role of race in court-ordered pretrial psychiatric evaluations. Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice, 16(3), 225-248.
  5. Linhorst, D. M., McGraugh, S., Choate, L, & Dirks-Linhorst, P. A. (2018). A comparison of public defenders and private attorneys representing defendants with mental illness: An analysis of court-ordered pretrial psychiatric evaluations. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 43(4), 810-830.
  6. Kondrat, D., Linhorst, D. M., Dirks-Linhorst, P. A., & Horning, E. (2018). An analysis of readmissions to a mental health court. Social Work Research, 42(3), 237-249.
  7. Linhorst, D. M., Loux, T. M., Dirks-Linhorst, P. A., & Riley, S., & (2018). Characteristics and outcomes of people with intellectual and development disabilities participating in a mental health court. American Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 123(4), 359-370.
  8. Linhorst, D. M., Kondrat, D., & Dirks-Linhorst, P. A. (2015). Rearrests during mental health court supervision: Predicting rearrest and its association with final court disposition and post-court rearrests. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 54, 486-501.
  9. Linhorst, D. M., & Dirks-Linhorst, P. A. (2015). Mental health courts: Development, outcomes, and future challenges. The Judges Journal, 54(2), 22-27.
  10. Mancini, M. A., Linhorst, D. M., Menditto, A. A., & Coleman, J. (2013). Statewide implementation of recovery support groups for people with serious mental illness: A multidimensional evaluation. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 40(4), 391-403.
  11. Dirks-Linhorst, P. A., Kondrat, D., Linhorst, D. M., & Morani, N. (2013). Factors associated with mental health court nonparticipation and negative termination. Justice Quarterly. 30(4), 681-710.
  12. Dirks-Linhorst, P. A., & Linhorst, D. M. (2012). Monitoring offenders with mental illness in the community: Guidelines for practice. Best Practices in Mental Health, 8(2), 47-70.
  13. Dirks-Linhorst, P. A., & Linhorst, D. M. (2012). Recidivism outcomes for suburban mental health court defendants. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 37(1), 76-91.
  14. Linhorst, D. M., Dirks-Linhorst, P. A., & Groom, R. (2012). Rearrest and probation violation outcomes among probationers participating in a jail-based substance abuse treatment program used as an intermediate sanction. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 51(8), 519-540.
  15. Wikoff, N., Linhorst, D. M., & Morani, N. (2012). Recidivism among participants of reentry program for prisoners who served their maximum prison sentence. Social Work Research, 36(4), 289-299.
  16. Morani, N. M., Wikoff, N., Linhorst, D. M., & Bratton, S. (2011). A description of the self-identified needs, service expenditures, and social outcomes of participants of a prisoner reentry program. The Prison Journal, 91(3), 347-365.
  17. Linhorst, D. M., Dirks-Linhorst, P. A., Stiffelman, S., Gianino, J., Bernsen, H. L., & Kelley, B. J. (2010). Implementing the essential elements of a mental health court: The experiences of a large multi-jurisdictional suburban county. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 37(4), 427-442.
  18. Mancini, M. A., & Linhorst, D. M. (2010). Harm reduction in community mental health. Journal of Social Work in Disability and Rehabilitation, 9, 130-147.
For a full listing of Dr. Linhorst's publications, please see the curriculum vitae.

Professional Organizations and Associations

  • Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
  • American Evaluation Association

Community Work and Service

  • Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
  • American Evaluation Association
  • Member, Program Advisory Committee, St. Patrick Center, St. Louis, MO
  • Program evaluator, Forensic Services, Missouri Department of Mental Health