The present and future handling of the mentally disturbed offender (Part 1)

Policy is firmly set at diverting mentally disturbed offenders from the Criminal Justice System and into the care of the health or social services. Projects and research are in place designed to facilitate this with improved arrangements for psychiatric assessments. Co-existence of the agencies involved in the treatment of mentally disturbed offenders implies readiness of each to accept patients whose security needs are downgraded. This would be facilitated by a review of medium security and long term provision. Meanwhile, the Prison Service must seek to do what it can to care for those placed in its charge.