Mentally Disordered Offenders: Finding a Focus for Diversion

Burney, Elizabeth; Pearson, Geoffrey

doi:10.1111/j.1468-2311.1995.tb00847.x

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Current charging and cautioning patterns in London determine that other mentally disordered cases are 'diverted' by the police back into the community or onto the streets without the opportunity for any psychiatric or social interventions being taken (Revolving Doors, 1994;Robertson et al, 1996). This pattern appears to be repeated elsewhere, with court schemes in some areas finding very few minor offenders in need of diversion to hospital (Brabbins and Travers, 1994;Burney and Pearson, 1995;Evans and Tomison, 1997). In consequence, the logical point for screening and intervention in minor offenders has become the police station custody suite (Laing, 1995).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is difficulty in obtaining access to locked psychiatric provision from court schemes (Rowlands et al, 1996;Greenhalgh et al, 1996), and admissions to open beds have been the norm (Joseph and Potter, 1993). Many schemes have assumed a 'liaison' function, channelling minor offenders with lesser degrees of mental illness or with substance abuse problems towards community agencies and follow-up (Brabbins and Travers, 1994;Burney and Pearson, 1995;Greenhalgh et al, 1996;James, 1996). Whereas this liaison process is a useful adjunct to diversion to hospital, concentration upon it may result in the original purpose of court psychiatric schemes being lost.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Increasing the Power of Psychiatric Court Diversion: A New Model of Supra-District Diversion Centre

James

Harlow²

2000

Med Sci Law

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The object was to develop and evaluate a new concentrated model of psychiatric diversion scheme at the magistrates' court, designed to maximize the potential of such interventions. A one-year prospective study was undertaken of a consecutive series of 264 referrals to the new diversion project at an Inner London magistrates' court, with concurrent examination of police station custody records, magistrates' court returns, hospital admission data and remand prison transfer records for an area with a population of 500,000. The results showed that this one scheme originated 12.8% of all the unrestricted hospital orders in England under section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983, 4.2% of section 35 orders, and 6.4% of section 48 and 48/49 remand prisoner transfers. Of all arrests in the central London area, 0.46% were referred to the scheme, with 0.28% being admitted. The seriousness of the charge did not have a significant effect on whether or not admission was achieved (p = 0.5365). The new model is a powerful intervention in the assessment and diversion of mentally disordered offenders. Similar supra-district diversion centres may have a role to play in other areas, complementing other local diversion exercises, some of which might better be relocated to the police station.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing the Power of Psychiatric Court Diversion: A New Model of Supra-District Diversion Centre

James

Harlow²

2000

Med Sci Law

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“…For some, contact with the police will result detention in custody (arrest). Estimates of the proportion of suspects passing through police stations who are mentally disordered vary between 2% and 20% (Burney 1995; Winstone 2005). Even if an individual is arrested, opportunities for diversion still abound, and a suspicion or report of mental illness by the custody officer, solicitor or forensic medical examiner can result in a request for an assessment under the Mental Health Act at the police station and the decision to divert the individual to health and social care services.…”

Section: Development and Evaluation Of Diversion Initiativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversion from custody: An update

Birmingham¹,

Awonogun²,

Ryland³

2017

BJPsych advances

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SummaryLiaison and diversion services are concerned with ensuring that individuals with mental health problems and related vulnerabilities who come into contact with the criminal justice system receive appropriate support and treatment. In the past 15 years there have been significant changes in policy, legislation and the broader landscape in community, custodial and hospital settings which have shaped these services. The Bradley Report, published in 2009, represents an important landmark in this field. Bradley made 82 recommendations, from interventions to improve identification of mental illness and vulnerable individuals at risk of offending to effecting speedier transfers of mentally disordered prisoners to hospital. Some progress has been made in achieving these recommendations, and further investment is promised, but at present only half of England is covered by liaison and diversion services.LEARNING OBJECTIVES•Appreciate how services have developed over the past 15 years to provide support and treatment and divert mentally disordered people from custody at all stages in the criminal justice process•Recognise how government policy has shaped the development of liaison and diversion services over the past 15 years•Understand the impact of the 2007 amendments to the Mental Health Act on the diversion of mentally disordered people from custody

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“…The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes that the rate of psychiatric disorders among tho-se imprisoned is higher than in the general population 6 . This is due to a series of facts among which we can consider the disappearance of mental hospitals, an increased abuse of toxic substances and an increased rate of population under social exclusion, among which we can find a high number of people with mental disorders who may be eventually imprisoned, and last the specific effect that imprisonment may cause [7][8][9][10] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%