Mental illness can result in people acting or thinking strangely. This can seem criminal even if it is simply them trying to seek help. Furthermore, in a matter of months or years they may be recovered. Arrests stay on the person’s police records until they are a hundred years old unless they can make a successful application to delete it. Even being a suspect can stay over 10 years and until the police decide it is no long needed depending on the case.

This can ruin people’s chances at working in a certain job or even their self-esteem. It should not be that when somebody is just ill they can end up with nearly permanent consequences for their DBS’s if it is disclosed.

Our society is changing. Mental illness should no longer be treated as a criminal matter. The police could instead take suspects to a mental health assessment prior to being arrested to see if their mental illness was to blame for what is a potential crime or them even being a suspect. If this is the case they should either be sectioned or made to sign a contract for community treatment. It is unfair to put a mentally ill person in custody for their illness.

 If they are sectioned or made to sign the contract as soon as the team confirms the person has been successfully treated the records can be deleted. This would mean sufferers would receive help instead of being punished. Treating those who are unwell instead of punishing them would make society safer. Justice should be about helping people change not be punished.

Please help stop Enhanced DBS check showing mental illness instead of just criminal activity. Sign today.