Treatment and care rather than crime and punishment – Apprehended Violence Orders.

PIAC’s submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission forms part of a suite of submissions on the key focus areas of the inquiry into people with cognitive and mental impairments in the criminal justice system. 

This submission focuses on the use of apprehended violence orders against people with mental or cognitive impairment. The submission calls on the Commission to divert people with mental illness who are unable or have difficulty complying with AVO conditions from the criminal justice system and to encourage the use of alternative dispute resolution. In order to support these diversionary approaches, community services should be adequately resourced and supported in order to facilitate a more therapeutic response.