Thank you very much.
Offhand, I can speak to a few of the groups you mentioned. I would refer you to a large study completed relatively recently by the National Trajectory Project, which looked specifically at those found not criminally responsible or unfit to stand trial. As far as I am aware, that's some of the best and most reliable and comprehensive data we have. I bracket that by saying that it's just looking at the NCR and unfit population. They found that of the entirety of that population—again, just those with serious and persistent mental illness—about 15% or 16% were women. As I recall, about 3% were aboriginal.
It raises some interesting questions. One question that the National Trajectory Project raised was what are the different mental health needs specific to women? I think there is a great opportunity to focus on that. I think very few courts, given that women are maybe one in seven or one in eight of these NCRs, are equipped to make sure they're getting the kinds of services and consideration they need.
On the other hand, you have aboriginal accused being found NCR. At 3%, that would seem to be drastically underrepresentative of aboriginal accused in the criminal justice system. Offhand, I think that covers somewhere around 15% or 20%. To me, I suppose, that raises some interesting questions about why that is. I'm not sure anyone has really done the research on this. Why are they not being found NCR or unfit to the same degree? What diversion path are they taking? Are culturally competent services being offered to those accused? Are they finding alternative measures other than going into the psychiatric system?
Those are all excellent questions. I think part of what the federal government might consider for its review of legal aid would be investing in research that can help us answer those kinds of questions so that we can tailor and target services to those vulnerable populations.