People with mental illness are more likely to be involved in the criminal justice system than the general population. This is due to a variety of factors, including macroeconomic changes in mental health care and criminal justice systems, deficiencies in the mental health system, the expansion of the criminal justice system, and higher rates of substance use disorders and criminogenic risk factors among people with mental illness. To improve access to mental health services for those involved with the criminal justice system, it is important to provide medical coverage to people with mental illnesses, divert those people away from the criminal justice system, and link them to mental health care, substance use disorder treatment, social services and community support. Recent national health reforms offer opportunities to improve treatment for people with mental illness, including those involved in the criminal justice system.
These reforms can help provide access to medicines and treatments that will help control their conditions and reduce the likelihood that justice will intervene or reoffend. In addition, state and local jurisdictions have implemented a number of strategies to divert people with mental illness from the criminal justice system and reduce recidivism. These interventions may involve training law enforcement officials who operate on their own or who partner with behavioral health professionals to reduce situations involving psychiatric emergencies and transporting people experiencing crises to stabilization centers. Overall, providing medical coverage to people with mental illnesses seems to be a way to significantly reduce their criminal involvement.
This is because Medicaid provides an important safety net for these low-income men by providing them with access to services that help reduce criminal behavior. It is also important to note that criminal activity is quite costly for people who are victims of crime, not only in terms of stolen or damaged property, but also as a result of psychological or time costs. In conclusion, improving access to mental health services for those involved with the criminal justice system is essential in order to reduce criminal activity and its associated costs. This can be achieved by providing medical coverage to people with mental illnesses, diverting those people away from the criminal justice system, and linking them to mental health care, substance use disorder treatment, social services and community support.
