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Today, significant local, national and international attention is being focused on how the criminal justice system is addressing mental health issues generally, and more specifically on how individuals with mental health issues are identified, assessed, and treated when they come into contact with criminal justice agencies.  Although substantial work has been done, and incremental improvements have been made in Canada as to how police, corrections, and the courts work with individuals with mental health issues, there is currently no national mental health strategy in the Canadian criminal justice system.  Practices vary considerably across the country.  Resources are limited.  Access can be difficult.  Definitions are inconsistently applied, resulting in confusion, misunderstanding, and fear on the part of everyone, particularly the individuals who are the subjects of criminal justice intervention, and, often, the application of measures that are inappropriate.

It is in this context that The International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (ICCLR), an independent institute, with 18 years of experience working with the agencies in or associated with the criminal justice system,  has begun to conduct preliminary research to confirm and identify the most pressing issues, priorities, current practices; explore the development of best practices manuals and the feasibility of establishing minimum standards for the provision of mental health care in corrections, and the broader criminal justice system. 

This preliminary research will provide an initial overview of existing practices and services which may assist in the identification, assessment, treatment, and community support of mentally disordered and/or neurocognitively-impaired persons coming into contact with the criminal justice system and will identify any significant gaps in the availability of interventions and services for this population. The scope of this research will range from the initial contact with the police, to the pretrial, trial and sentencing processes, to institutional and community corrections processes and, finally, to service and support provisions which come into play after an individual is discharged from the jurisdiction of the criminal justice system. At this stage, the project will focus on adults only.

One of the first activities from this initiative was to undertake a review of best-practice literature in relation to the minimum standards for the provision of mental health and substance use services in both institutional and community corrections settings.  The review includes a review of best-practice literature in relation to minimum standards for the provision of mental health and substance use services in correctional settings – both within Canada and internationally, , particularly Australia, New Zealand, The United States, and members of the European Union. The review also includes standards for assessment and treatment services in relation to mental disorders, problem substance use, and neuro-cognitive impairments.

The International Corrections Programme is a collaborative effort between the ICCLR and the Correctional Service of Canada.