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Mentally ill 'let down' by police

Severely mentally ill people are "significantly more likely" to report unfair or disrespectful behaviour from police, new research has shown. However, many feared there would be repercussions, like sectioning, if they reported bad behaviour.

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Police treatment of mentally ill a 'national scandal'

The police have come under fire for their treatment of the severely mentally ill, after a survey exposed the number of unwell people who feel let down by police.

Victim Support, one of the charities behind the research, said neglect of the mentally ill by the criminal justice system was "unacceptable" and "nothing short of a national scandal".

It is nothing short of a national scandal that some of the most vulnerable people in our society become victims of crime so often and yet when they seek help they are met with disbelief or even blame.

It is unacceptable that the criminal justice system fails to meet the needs of people with mental health problems when this report shows all too clearly the terrible impact of crime on them.

– Victim Support chief executive Javed Khan

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