Criminal Justice and Mental Illness: Creating Alternatives in Minnesota

Criminal Justice professionals have become aware that large numbers of suspects, defendants, and offenders suffer from mental illness. Many estimate that 25% to 40% of “low-level offenders” suffer from some form of mental illness. Treating individuals with mental illness in the traditional justice model–where arrest can lead to jail, conviction, and incarceration– has been expensive, ineffective, and inhumane in many cases. Justice system leaders in Minnesota have responded–both in urban and rural parts of the state–with creativity, intelligence, and collaboration. Best practices have emerged. However, there have been limited opportunities for communication and sharing across agencies and among criminal justice practitioners. The experience of the problem-solving courts suggests that by improving the ways practitioners collaborate, the resources and tools that are available to them can be used more effectively and recidivism can be reduced.

This conference aims to reveal efforts and programs that are actively in use now and to explore possibilities for the near future.

The conference will include breakfast and lunch, and a special message from U.S. Senator Al Franken.