Mental health and justice project
Mental health and justice is a major two year research project funded by the Big Lottery Fund and led by Victim Support.
The research is investigating whether people with mental health problems are more likely to be victims of crime. It's also exploring the barriers people with mental health problems face in reporting crime and accessing justice and what helps them, or could help them, to report crime and access justice.
The project is an exciting collaboration between the voluntary sector and academics and the following organisations are working in partnership with Victim Support.
The research is being conducted in London, exploring the experiences of people aged over 18 years who have mental health problems and have been victims of crime in the last three years. Approved by an NHS Ethics Committee, the research has two parts:
- a large scale quantitative study, of up to 600 people who are receiving support from community mental health services (aged 18-65).
- a smaller qualitative study about barriers and enablers to reporting crime and accessing justice. Participants will take part in a face to face interview with a Victim Support researcher exploring their personal experiences.
Findings will be disseminated widely, used to influence policy and practice in key criminal justice agencies and to improve service delivery within the organisations undertaking this research.