Mental health diversion courts: a two year recidivism study of a South Australian mental health court program

Lim, Loraine, and Day, Andrew (2014) Mental health diversion courts: a two year recidivism study of a South Australian mental health court program. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 32 (4). pp. 539-551.

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Abstract

The need to develop specialized judicial processes to deal with offenders with mental illnesses is now widely recognized and has led to the introduction of mental health court diversion programs around the world. At present, however, there is only limited evidence from which to assess the impact of these initiatives. This paper describes the South Australian model of diversion, with specific reference to the relationship between identified participant characteristics, program compliance rates, and re-offending outcomes. The results of a two-year recidivism study suggest that involvement with the program has a positive impact on recidivism, but that this is independent from the individual's level of success in the program. Lower risk offenders were more likely to achieve successful outcomes than those in the higher risk categories. The implications of these results, as well the factors that might inform the ongoing development of mental health court programs, are discussed.

Item ID: 47185
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1099-0798
Date Deposited: 18 Jan 2017 07:50
FoR Codes: 18 LAW AND LEGAL STUDIES > 1801 Law > 180110 Criminal Law and Procedure @ 100%
SEO Codes: 94 LAW, POLITICS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES > 9404 Justice and the Law > 940403 Criminal Justice @ 100%
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