ABSTRACT

People experiencing mental health issues when in contact with the police - whether as suspects, victims of crime, witnesses or otherwise vulnerable - often need expert support beyond what a police response is able to offer. This chapter reviews the evidence for and impact of current police-related interventions aimed at providing that expert support and diverting individuals where possible from the justice system into more appropriate support networks and services. It also reviews the impact of the current investment patterns that underpin these interventions and explore whether or not there are evidence-based alternative models that could be deployed.