Mental Health and Criminal Justice

Mental health is an urgent and growing concern within the criminal justice system. The high prevalence of mental health concerns among those interacting with the criminal justice system highlights the importance of developing and implementing evidence-based, informed and culturally competent mental health-related policy.

This is the first book in Aotearoa New Zealand that focuses on mental health policy and law at different stages of the criminal justice process. Bridging academic insight and practical application, the book takes a critical, rights-based and multidisciplinary approach, engaging with law, criminology, psychology and political science to explore the realities of how mental health intersects with justice in policy, practice and lived experience.

Chapters 1 to 5 frame the topic of mental health in criminal justice by contextualising mental health and criminal justice in New Zealand in light of its history of mental health care, and discussing Māori understandings of mental health and criminal justice, the role of criminological theories of crime, the philosophy of punishment and human rights considerations. Chapters 6 to 10 discuss mental health as it relates to discrete aspects of the criminal justice system - namely police, the criminal trial process, criminal law, expert evidence and prisons. Chapter 11 covers the mental health of victims, while Chapter 12 focuses on the mental health of criminal justice professionals. Lastly, Chapter 13 discusses current developments and future directions in mental health and criminal justice in New Zealand.

The book is aimed at third year and postgraduate students and will appeal to students of criminal justice, law, sociology, criminology, psychology and psychiatry. It will also be a valuable resource for people working in the mental health and criminal justice space, including lawyers, policy makers, forensic experts, corrections, police, victim advocacy services, citizens advice, mental health services and other related parties or organisations - as well as anyone navigating the criminal justice system.