Whenever people with psychological problems are arrested for brutal crimes, public attention focuses on whether they can be held criminally liable.

But experts say the nation's judicial system often fails to look deep into the minds of these people to assess the background to their actions — a step they say is essential preventive medicine.

While there is widespread criticism that mental patients accused of heinous crimes are let off the hook because of their illness, statistics show a majority of the people arrested who are suspected of having mental problems in fact face prosecution.