A. The Legislature of Louisiana recognizes that a significant percentage of criminal defendants have a diagnosable mental illness.
B. The legislature further recognizes that such mental illnesses tend to have a negative effect on the criminal justice system in the state of Louisiana.
C. The legislature further recognizes that mental illness and substance abuse issues co-occur in a substantial percentage of criminal defendants.
D. The legislature further recognizes the critical need for a program within the criminal justice system designed to reduce the number of defendants with either mental illness issues or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse issues.
E. Such programs would also seek to address recidivism percentages among criminal defendants dealing with both mental illness and co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse issues thus reducing the incidence of crimes committed as a result of mental illness and co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse issues.
F. It is therefore the intent of the Legislature of Louisiana to provide for the creation of specialized mental health courts with the necessary flexibility to address the issues of criminal defendants with either mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse issues.