From Contact to Care: A Comprehensive Analysis of Mental Health Practices Across the Criminal Justice Continuum

This capstone attempts to gain a further understanding of the state of mental health training, protocols, and practices across the continuum of the criminal justice system. The various sections of this paper will look at law enforcement, corrections, and court/community and their roles in mental crisis training and interaction. As the topic of mental health is something increasingly discussed in the present day, it is also something that is in need of more research, in order to create higher standards when it comes to individuals with mental health concerns and ensuring that they receive the proper levels of care that they deserve. This paper attempts to contribute to the gaps in research on this particular topic, and to create a comprehensive look at mental health in the criminal justice system as a whole, analyzing existing policies and techniques, while shedding light on many aspects to be improved upon as well.