Survey Letter
20 November 2006
Review of Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drug Interventions in the Criminal Justice System
The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice are seeking views on mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) interventions in the criminal justice system. To that end a survey has been referred to a number of interested individuals and agencies. However, if you have not been invited to fill in a survey, we would appreciate your feedback on the questions contained in the survey which is attached to this letter.
To view a PDF version of this letter and attached questions, please follow the link below:
Background
The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice are undertaking a review of mental health and AOD interventions in the criminal justice system. This review is part of the Government's Effective Interventions programme, which was announced on 15 August 2006. The programme aims to reduce crime, reduce re-offending rates, and address the rapidly growing prison population.
Objective
The objective of the review is to develop options to improve the way in which the mental health and AOD treatment needs of people within the criminal justice system are met. The end goal is to:
- enhance the social functioning and mental health of this population
- assist in reducing the rate of AOD addiction and AOD addiction-related harm
- assist in reducing re-offending.
Scope
The focus of this review is on those situations where the mental health system and the criminal justice system meet, or where an individual is experiencing both an intervention from the criminal justice system and has a mental health and/or AOD treatment need. For adults these interfaces can occur:
- at the point of arrest
- at diversion
- when on bail or on remand
- at court
- while serving a sentence (whether that be in a prison, or on home detention or a community-based sentence)
- when on parole
- when released from the custody of the justice system into the community.
The mental health and AOD treatment needs of Maori and Pacific peoples and female offenders will be specifically addressed in this review. The youth justice system is also included within the ambit of the review.
Process
1. Information on the interface between mental health/AOD interventions and the criminal justice system will be collected and analysed.
2. A literature review will be undertaken that brings together international and national experience of this interface.
3. A discussion document will be released for public consultation that identifies:
- offenders' current needs for mental health and AOD treatment
- barriers to meeting these needs
- future options based on best practice and evidence.
4. Policy advice for Government will be developed, including options to improve the way in which the mental health and AOD treatment needs of people within the criminal justice system are met.
Consultation
We believe that you or your organisation may be able to provide useful input into the review. As part of the information gathering and analysis exercise, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice are therefore seeking your perspective on mental health and AOD interventions in the criminal justice system. We would appreciate your feedback on the questions contained in the survey attached to this letter. Please feel free to forward this survey onto others who may have an interest in mental health and AOD interventions in the criminal justice system.
The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice acknowledge the work recently undertaken by the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand on AOD interventions in the justice setting in New Zealand. We appreciate that some survey questions will be similar to those asked by the Council.
Please send your written comments via post or email to:
| Address: | Tanith Robb |
| Mental Health Directorate | |
| Ministry of Health | |
| PO Box 5013 | |
| Wellington |
| Email: | tanith_robb@moh.govt.nz |
We would appreciate receiving your comments before Friday 22 December 2006. However, feedback on the survey will be accepted until Friday 19 January 2007.
Your correspondence with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Justice may be requested under the Official Information Act 1982. If this happens, the Ministry will release your correspondence to the person who requested it. However, if you are an individual as opposed to an organisation, the Ministry will remove your personal details, if requested.
Thank you for your assistance.
Yours sincerely
| Dr Janice Wilson | Rajesh Chhana |
| Deputy Director-General | General Manager |
| Mental Health Directorate | Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice |
| Ministry of Health | Ministry of Justice |
Review of Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drug Interventions in the Criminal Justice System - Stakeholder Survey Questions
Name:
Address:
Email:
Organisation:
Position:
1. How does your role (and/or role of your organisation) intersect with offenders[1] and/or alcohol and other drug (AOD) or mental health interventions?
2. Do you work with any specific groups of offenders with mental health/AOD problems? (e.g. Maori, Pacifica, youth, women)
3. From your perspective what are the mental health/AOD needs of offenders?
4. What services are currently available to offenders with mental health/AOD problems?
5. Do offenders have problems accessing these services?
6. Do you think the services currently available are effective and adequately meet offenders' needs?
7. What are the gaps in the services/treatment models currently provided to offenders with mental health/AOD problems? (particularly in light of offenders' criminogenic needs)
8. Given the over-representation of Maori in offender populations it is important for the criminal justice system to better address their needs. From your perspective:
- what are the specific needs of Maori offenders with mental health/AOD problems?
- how adequate are current services in meeting the specific needs of Maori offenders with mental health/AOD problems?
- what improvements could be made to better address the needs of Maori offenders with mental health/AOD problems?
9. What are the main barriers to the proper delivery of services?
10. What do you see as being the major issues/problems at the interface or point at which the criminal justice and health systems meet (i.e. in relation to the different aims, philosophies and priorities of the two systems)?
11. From your perspective what legislation, regulations, protocols or policies require changes to improve service delivery? What would be the implications of these changes?
12. Are there any workforce implications you foresee in responding to future service delivery progress (e.g. attitudinal, competencies)?
13. What else could be done to improve delivery of AOD/mental health services to offenders?
Please indicate whether you would like a copy of the discussion document on the review of mental health and alcohol and other drug interventions in the criminal justice system, to be released for public consultation in 2007.
No
Yes
Footnotes
1 For the purposes of this survey, and for brevity, the people who fall within the ambit of this review are referred to as 'offenders' whether or not they have been convicted of a criminal offence. 'Offender' can refer to a person at a variety of different points in the criminal justice process from police apprehension through to imprisonment.