Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied

FITNESS TO STAND TRIAL UNDER THE CRIMINAL LAW (MENTALLY IMPAIRED ACCUSED) ACT 1996 (WA)

Team: Max Hinch, Hugo Brossard, Maria Ambrose, Lachie Phillips, Charlotte Salom (Team Leader).

Partner Organisation: Western Australian Association for Mental Health (WAAMH)

Project Supervisor: Liz Connor (Senior Policy Officer, Mental Health and Public Health) from WAAMH.

Project Mentor: Nicholas Versteegen from Mental Health Law Centre and Magistrate Felicity Zempilas.

Aim:  The team will create a research paper and design a model suggesting how to improve the criminal justice system response to accused persons who are deemed unfit to stand trial.

Purpose: The project deliverable will provide recommendations for key features of a proposed new system which overcomes the existing deficiencies and discuss the opportunities and challenges of its integration into the WA criminal justice system.