Mental Health Issues in the Justice System

Individuals with mental health disorders often experience problems in multiple settings — at home, school, and in the community — and when left untreated, mental health issues may contribute to learning difficulties, social issues and behavior issues, ultimately leading to justice system involvement.

Specific influences, such as cultural, behavioral, and educational issues, will be presented to develop a better understanding of the challenges the offender in the justice system face which may influence their treatment and rehabilitation needs.

How can society help protect the mentally challenged? How can you help society understand their conditions? Their vulnerability?

To this day the justice system is not equipped to handle inmates with mental health issues. Despite the fact that people struggling with mental illness need treatment in our society too many of them wind

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‘A Political View’

By Sherry Holliman SHERRY HOLLIMAN (cont.)

up in jail, putting a strain on both those that have the mental health problems and those without them.

Mental health problems among the population of persons in the nation’s jails and prisons are serious and growing. According to research an estimated one in three inmates has some form of mental illness. Jails and prisons have become a mental health treatment facility. In which people with mental and substance use conditions in jails and prisons have complex and challenging needs. Mental health services in prisons and jails are often inadequate. Persons with mental illnesses are frequently victims of crimes within the prison system. The environment in prisons and jails worsens many mental health conditions.

There are a wide variety of outreach programs throughout the nation. These programs aim to identify and treat mental health conditions at the earliest possible point with many of the programs focusing on populations which may otherwise be unlikely to receive any such treatment. Individuals with mental disorders in a crisis have no need of police involvement.

This is why communities should create systems which train “911' operators to identify those persons in crisis whose needs do not require law enforcement intervention. Communities should employ trained mental health professionals and peers to respond to such individuals. This alternative

stigma often associated with the presence of the police and with transportation to mental health services by uniformed law enforcement personnel in police vehicles. The belief of some program advocates is the human and financial costs to the criminal justice system can use an effective diversion program that may produce better results at a lower cost.

Community-based programs

illness and substance use conditions are an effective way to reduce incarceration

less cost and harm.

Intervention can be made to prevent individuals from entering or penetrating deeper into the criminal justice system. Also using mental health courts as an example of a post-booking jail diversion program.

Mental health courts have been effective at diverting persons charged with nonviolent crimes away from jail or prison to community mental health services.

In order to reduce placing mentally challenged individuals in jail people in the system should be involved at the beginning of the situation and support those who need services, and promote fairness throughout the criminal justice system, leaders in the mental health system, law enforcement officers, public defenders, prosecutors, court personnel, advocates, legislators, and others in the criminal justice system must come together to create a system that will improve the best outcome for all. In the end the civic responsibility falls on the government system to protect and meet the needs of the vulnerable to avoid unnecessary arrest and police brutality.

Sherry Holliman is a concerned citizen of Crittenden County and has some views on a variety of topics that she wants to share with her neighbors. She serves on the Marion City Council.