Mental Illness Takes on the Criminal Justice System

            The statistics are high when it comes to individuals with mental illness that come in contact with the criminal justice system. With the inmate count at over 400,000 in our jails and state prisons and another 800,000 on probation and parole (U.S. Department of Justice, 2009).  The outcome is usually a tragic one.  Showing that traditional courts are an ineffective use of law enforcement, courts, tax payer’s money; failure in linking the mentally ill to effective treatment; and the lack of improvement to the public’s safety.

           With the percentage at 16.9% (men at 14.5% and women at 31%) most of these individuals suffer with severe mental illness (SMI), such as major depression, bipolar and schizophrenia, they are at risk for repeat minor offenses. The U.S. Department of Justice did a study finding and reported that half of all jail, state prison and federal inmates with mental illness have 3 to 4 prior convictions as they make their way back into the system.  In saying this, it just adds to the continuous problems these individuals are constantly faced with.

            Many traditional courts and correction facilities are unable to provide the much needed mental health treatment to connect individuals with effective treatment processes in their community, considering they have cut 4.35 billion dollars in funding across all states. So when released from incarceration they will have a better chance in society and less likely of being a repeat offender.

           Join me Thursday nite at 7pm CT Nov 21st to discuss the Mental Health Court Systems compared to the traditional court systems that our mentally ill face time and time again for crimes that can be prevented if proper treatment was available.