The Amsterdam post-booking diversion program; a new program for mentally disordered suspects

In Amsterdam, a post-booking diversion program for mentally disordered (MD) suspects was implemented, which involved close collaboration between the prosecutor's office and the emergency psychiatric service and aimed to optimize the prosecutor's decision-making on whether to prosecute patients or divert them to mental health care or both.

For the 40 months after implementation, demographic, legal and clinical data, were obtained for all MD suspects enrolled in the program.

The cohort predominantly comprised individuals with significant psychiatric disorders, notably a 38.9% prevalence of psychotic disorders. The subgroup with psychotic disorders relatively frequently saw dismissal of charges and (involuntary) hospitalization. A large proportion of the cohort experienced considerable social vulnerability.

The post-booking diversion program was successfully implemented, enabling prosecutors to make more informed decisions. Most suspects with psychotic disorders were diverted from the justice system to appropriate mental health services. The high prevalence of social vulnerability within this cohort highlights the need for comprehensive, socio-economically oriented programs tailored to mentally disordered suspects.