Forum On Mental Health And Criminal Justice Draws Nearly 100 Attendees
eople with mental illnesses are far more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators of it, despite portrayals depicted by the entertainment and news media.
Such awareness and other relevant information was shared as part of a panel discussion on mental health and the criminal justice system held March 24, 2015, on the Niagara University campus. Nearly 100 students and community members were in attendance for the event, which was sponsored by the department of criminology and criminal justice in collaboration with the Levesque Institute.
The purpose of the forum was to raise awareness to the fact that mental health issues are an increasingly prominent challenge in the criminal justice system and to help students understand how individuals with mental health issues are dealt with throughout the system, from intake to exit (arrest to post release) to include any special procedures, accommodations or treatment as a result of their mental illness.