TRENTON, NJ – Criminals with mental health issues could soon avoid jail time under a new law being pushed through the legislature in Trenton.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has issued a favorable report on a Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 524. The bill aims to promote the expansion and development of programs for individuals with mental illness who are involved in the criminal justice system. The committee substitute introduces the Mental Health Diversion Program (MHDP) in three judicial vicinages across the state, providing eligible individuals with serious mental illness who have committed certain offenses an alternative to the criminal justice system through case management and mental health services.
The MHDP has several objectives, as outlined in the committee substitute. First, it aims to reduce incarceration rates for the appropriate target population by diverting them effectively away from the criminal justice system. By doing so, it seeks to improve the quality of life for these individuals by connecting them efficiently to available social entitlements and community-based mental health treatment providers. Supportive monitoring will also be implemented to ensure compliance.
Additionally, the program aims to enhance community awareness and understanding through cross-training initiatives involving law enforcement and mental health communities.
The MHDP aims to decrease recidivism and re-hospitalization rates for the target population, ultimately contributing to an increase in public safety.
