Criminalization Facts
- The number of people with mental disorders in the justice system is increasing at the rate of about 10% a year
- Since 1995, there has been a 27% increase in the number of mentally ill people who have been admitted to correctional facilities in Ontario.
- Between 1997 and 2001, the number of inmates on medication for a mental illness rose by 50%
- A Correctional Service of Canada review panel noted that the number of male offenders with mental health problems jumped by 71 per cent between 1997 and 2006. One in eight now suffer from psychiatric disorders.
- As we lose acute care psychiatric beds, we are gaining forensic beds. During the past five years, 84 new forensic beds have been created, an increase of 13.6%
- There are approximately 1090 people currently under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Review Board (ORB). This number has been increasing between 5-10% per year
- In Vancouver, between 31% and 50% of calls for service involve at least one person with a mental illness
Family Facts
Strengthening the family ultimately results in better outcomes for individuals who are in contact with the law. Positive family involvement has shown to have the following benefits:
- Decreased rates of hospitalization and relapse
- Enhanced adherence to diversion or treatment plans
- Increased rates of recovery
- Savings to the mental health and justice systems
- Decreased rates of involvement with the criminal justice system
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