RESEARCH REPORT Pre-arrest Diversion of People with Mental Illness: Literature Review and International Surveyy

Mental health diversion is a process where alternatives to criminal sanctions are made available to persons with mental illness (PMI) who have come into contact with the law. One form of mental health diversion is pre-arrest, in which the police use their discretion in laying charges. Concomitant with the growth of pre-arrest diversion programs is a growing body of research devoted to the phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature of pre-arrest diversion, and to report the results of an international survey of pre-arrest diversion programs we conducted to identify evidence-based practices. On the basis of our review and survey, we note that successful pre-trial programs appear to integrate relevant mental health, substance abuse and criminal justice agencies by having regular meetings between key personnel from the various agencies. Often, a liaison person with a mandate to effect strong leadership plays a key role Behavioral Sciences & the Law Behav. Sci. Law 24: 845–856 (2006) Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI: 10.1002/bsl.738