In recent decades, the criminal justice system has become a warehouse for people whose mental health issues have gone untreated or undetected in the community. The absence of meaningful prevention and community-based mental health services has resulted in a large and growing proportion of people falling through the cracks, only to get caught the widening net of the justice system. In short, when the healthcare system fails to treat mental illness, the criminal justice system punishes the symptoms.

Unlocking Change chronicles some of the main challenges facing people with mental health issues who become justice-involved, including court-ordered bail conditions banning drug or alcohol use, difficulties accessing medication and psychiatric care while incarcerated, homelessness, shortages of clinical care and residential treatment options, among others.