A scoping review was conducted to examine primary causes of recidivism of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) within jail settings. Fifty-four articles were selected from various databases; 10 were examined after vetting for jail-specific information. The prevalent factors for recidivism included SMI with current diagnosis or symptoms, co-occurring substance use disorders, nonclinical risk factors, and lack of continuity of care. This study provides insight into risk factors as well as limitations to current research.