The process of transforming mental health issues into matters handled by the criminal justice system represents a significant and complex shift in societal responses to mental illness. This evolution involves the increasing arrest, prosecution, and incarceration of individuals experiencing psychiatric disorders, often due to behaviors stemming directly from their conditions. These behaviors may include petty theft, public disturbance, or actions perceived as threatening, which, in the absence of mental health support, lead to law enforcement intervention.
This trend has its roots in deinstitutionalization movements of the mid-20th century, which aimed to move individuals with mental illnesses from large, often inadequate, psychiatric hospitals into community-based treatment programs. However, the promised community resources and support systems were frequently underfunded or nonexistent, leaving many individuals without adequate care. This lack of support, coupled with societal stigma and limited understanding of mental illness, resulted in a higher likelihood of interaction with law enforcement and subsequent entry into the criminal justice system.
