Mental health and the courts

This chapter addresses the issue of mental health in the various levels of court – from the magistrate’s court up to the International Court of Criminal Justice. In doing so it recognises the relative frequency with which courts are obliged to deal with mental health concerns. Special mental health courts are being set up to deal with those problems, including diversionary programmes to complement the criminal process. To complement the court process some jurisdictions also use a mediation process. The assistance mental health professionals lend the courts is outlined and evaluated, as well as the complex inter-related issues of mental illness and offending.