§ 14-31-20

The purpose of this chapter is to divert qualifying mentally ill offenders away from the criminal justice system and into appropriate treatment programs, thereby reserving prison space for violent criminals and others for whom incarceration is the only reasonable alternative. Offenders with a diagnosed, or diagnosable mental illness generally recognized in the psychiatric community, qualify for participation in a mental health court program. HISTORY: 2015 Act No. 30 (S.426), Section 1, eff June 1, 2015.