Topic > Incarceration and Mental Health: A Critical Analysis

When people went through MHC programs, the vast majority of users agreed to follow them, yet many of these individuals had no idea what the program was about or could deny going there (Kim,K., Sarteschi,C.,Vaughn, M. page 14). This is very problematic because everyone has the right to say no to treatment and many of them had no idea what rights they are entitled to. The other dilemma with MHC is that an individual must plead guilty in order to go through an MHC program. “To participate in an MHC, a defendant generally must plead guilty with the understanding that the charges will be expunged or dismissed upon completion of treatment (Bazelon Center of Mental Health Law, 2004). The Bazelon Center found in its review of 20 MHCs that charges were not always automatically dismissed (Kim,K., Sarteschi,C.,Vaughn, M. page 14).” If an individual agrees to plead guilty with the mindset that his or her criminal record will be expunged and does not do so, it is a serious