The Criminal Justice Subcommittee of the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health releases report on mental illness in the criminal justice system

The Criminal Justice Subcommittee of the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has released its report on mental illness in the nation's criminal justice system. The report discusses the scope of the problem and a range of possible criminal justice and community-based approaches, including diversion programs and transition planning for this population.

You can view the complete text of the subcommittee's report here.

The Criminal Justice Subcommittee is one of 15 subcommittees of the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, which released its complete report in July 2003.

One section in the full report particularly relevant to people with mental illness who become involved with, or
are at risk of becoming involved with, the criminal justice system is Goal 2: Mental Health Care is Consumer
and Family Driven. Two subsections include "Limited Mental Health Services Are Available in Correctional Facilities" (p. 32) and "Address Mental Health Problems in the Criminal Justice and Juvenile Justice Systems" (p. 43).

Like the findings of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, the full report of the New Freedom Commission advocates diverting individuals into treatment rather than incarceration when appropriate, and linking individuals who have been incarcerated to treatment services upon their re-entry into the community.