Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:08 pm on 2 October 2018.
First Minister, in England, offenders with mental health problems are being referred to health services as part of community sentences, in an effort to steer them away from jails. Under a pilot scheme in five areas, psychologists and a panel comprising justice and health officials have been providing information to judges or magistrates to determine whether offenders should be required to receive treatment. A recent Ministry of Justice study found that when offenders were given a mental health treatment requirement as part of their sentence, they were significantly less likely to reoffend. Will the First Minister undertake to hold discussions with the Ministry of Justice about introducing a similar scheme in Wales, please?