Diversion: A Better Way for Criminal Justice & Mental Health

February 2009 Researchers at the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health in London, England sought to assess the savings that could be realized by diverting offenders with mental health problems to community-based treatment rather than incarceration. The researchers reviewed published evidence about diversion programs in England and other countries, made site visits to 16 programs in England, and conducted a cost-benefit analysis. They determined that if the English health and justice departments collaborated to provide more criminal justice mental health diversion programs, the government could save about 700 million (about $14 million U.S. dollars) a year . . .