DOI: 10.56367/oag-052-12749 ISSN: 2516-3817
Criminal justice reform needs mental health: Practical steps from the Australian evidence
Tony Butler, Emaediong AkpanekpoCriminal justice reform needs mental health: Practical steps from the Australian evidence
Professor Tony Butler and Dr Emaediong Akpanekpo of the School of Population Health at UNSW Sydney examine the evidence for placing mental health at the centre of criminal justice reform, highlighting practical approaches that can reduce reoffending, improve rehabilitation and strengthen community safety. Criminal justice reform is on the agenda in many parts of the world, driven by the hyper-incarceration of African Americans in the United States, the over-incarceration of First Nations peoples in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, the imprisonment of mothers, and the jailing of children when the age of criminal responsibility is considered too low.