California Psychiatric Association
Prison Diversion Policy Statement*
10/06/06
Prison Diversion Policy Statement*
The California Psychiatric Association (CPA) will support efforts by the administration and the legislature to improve conditions for psychiatrists and psychiatric patients in state Prisons. In addition the CPA will advocate in the budget process, and explore the effectiveness of legislative options to ensure, that as a long range policy of the state additional resources are put into community based options that serve to prevent the SPMI from entering the criminal justice system in the first place, or to ensure that they don’t return once convicted.
Options include law-enforcement and officer of the court training to SPMI; parole and probation programs aimed at reducing the recidivism of mentally ill releasees including establishing CONREP like programs for this population; incentives for counties to establish or expand MH courts; expansion of funding for state MIOCRA grants; use of Assisted Outpatient Treatment to prevent criminal acts on the part of the SPMI; promote rational sentencing reform; promoting the use of forensic IMDs as step down facilities upon release from incarceration; and other means to keep those with SPMI out of jails, prisons and juvenile facilities.
*Adopted by CPA Council October 6, 2006
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