Dec 9, 2021 · Mental Health America, “Mental Health and Criminal Justice Issues” — This article describes programs designed to divert people with serious mental illness from juvenile and criminal courts and to prevent unfair treatment of mentally ill people in the criminal justice system.

Maximum diversion of persons with serious mental illness from the criminal justice system is crucial in reducing the financial, health, and human costs of involvement and incarceration.

People with mental illness deserve help, not handcuffs. Yet, people with mental illness are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Policies, such as “zero tolerance” policing, nuisance laws and mandatory sentences for drug offenses have contributed to the criminalization of mental illness.

Research on the prevalence and treatment of mental illness in the criminal legal system. Below, we’ve curated virtually all of the research about the relationship between mental health and the criminal justice system available online.

May 30, 2017 · Individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders are significantly overrepresented in American jails and prisons, a development that has attracted the concern of clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and corrections personnel.

mental health disorder. 2 Approximately 20% of inmates in jails and 15% of inmates in state prisons 3 are now estimated to have a serious mental illness 4 (SMI). Additionally, about 74% of state prisoners and 76% of local jail inmates who had a mental health problem also meet criteria for substance dependence or abuse. 5 Young people with ...

Interaction with the criminal justice system can be difficult even for people without mental illness; therefore, the pressure and intimidation of criminal process is often overwhelming for persons with mental illness and for their families.

individuals with mental illness away from criminal justice system involvement is through early intervention, comprehensive community mental health care and a robust crisis response system.

Officials throughout the criminal justice system should recognize that people with mental disorders have special needs that must be reconciled with the goals of ensuring accountability for conduct, respect for civil liberties, and public safety.

Individuals with a mental illness and/or substance use disorders (M/SUD) involved in the criminal/juvenile justice systems face higher rates of incarceration, longer lengths incarceration, and higher rates of recidivism.