CRJ 575 - Mental Illness and the Administration of Justice Credits: 3

An exploration of the intersection of the mental health and criminal justice systems in the United States. The primary theme is the deinstitutionalization movement, which has resulted in the shifting of individuals with mental illness from hospitals into correctional facilities. Important topics include civil and outpatient commitment, police as first responders, training for criminal justice personnel responding to crisis situations, and other diversion efforts to decrease criminalization and stigmatization such as Crisis Intervention Teams, Mental Health Courts, Assertive Community Treatment, and a variety of community-based interventions and reentry strategies. Engagement and innovative policy solutions are required from students.