Although people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities are overrepresented in police custody and prison, these individuals are not always identified, nor is the system designed with them in mind.
This is from a November 2017 report from Justice (pdf) which makes 52 recommendations on the criminal justice process.
The report recommends:
- Policing and mental health cooperation schemes should not be an ad hoc creation of dedicated professionals at a local level, but be available comprehensively and permanently across the country
- A decision to take no further action should be logged by officers as a diversion for recording purposes
- Easy read versions of the notice of rights and entitlements should be provided to suspects.
