Answer:
In this chapter the committee considers issues that arise when people with mental illnesses come into contact with the criminal justice system. The publicity given to critical incidents involving mentally disturbed people might lead the public to believe that a high proportion of people with mental illness commit crimes, but this is not the case. Nevertheless, people with mental illness comprise a disproportionate number of the people who are arrested, who come before the courts and who are imprisoned. The reasons for this, the legislation governing the treatment of people with mental illness who commit crimes and their treatment by the criminal justice system, are dealt with in this chapter.
Explanation:
The Commonwealth and each state and territory have provisions in their criminal laws for the prosecution and disposition of persons with a mental illness or an intellectual disability.[1344]These laws provide that unsoundness of mind is a defence to a criminal charge. Application of the laws means that some persons charged with criminal offences are judged not fit to enter a plea, or are found not guilty because of mental disorder, and become 'forensic patients' (The treatment of forensic patients in discussed later in this chapter).In most jurisdictions, criminal legislation and other relevant acts, such as bail and sentencing acts, interact with mental health services through the operation of mental health acts.
