A disproportionate number of people who interact with the criminal justice system are persons with mental health disorders and intellectual and developmental disabilities, often prompting specialized responses from law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and its partners in the justice and mental health fields have developed programs and resources to assist jurisdictions in interacting with and managing justice-involved people with mental illness and intellectual and developmental disabilities, from the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program and the National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability to the Stepping Up Initiative and the Police-Mental Health Collaboration Toolkit. Serving Safely: The National Initiative to Enhance Policing for Persons with Mental Illnesses and Developmental Disabilities – BJA’s latest partnership with the Vera Institute of Justice – offers an additional resource for police departments, sheriffs’ departments, prosecutors’ offices, and community members.
