mental health

Neighbors called the police when they heard yelling in the apartment. They were concerned that the man’s elderly mother might be in danger after he had allegedly punched another neighbor and stormed into his home. When deputies arrived at the apartment complex, they found the man’s mother with wounds to her hands, crying in her apartment. Her son was unstable mentally, she said, and had been screaming about one of the neighbors, grabbing his mother’s hands earnestly until he broke the skin on her hands with his nails. Officers arrested the suspect on domestic battery charges, and he was held on a bail of $3,137. The man’s mother was clearly the victim of a crime, though it seems equally clear that the perpetrator was the victim of mental illness.

Mental Health Problems Linked to Crime

According to a plethora of research, people who suffer from psychiatric disorders have a higher likelihood of committing crimes. Without proper treatment, these individuals tend to experience cognitive impairments, delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia. They are also more likely to experience substance misuse disorders, homelessness, and unemployment. These factors all interact, making people with mental health issues more likely to be involved in criminal activity, and violent crimes in particular. Even so, they are more likely to be victims than to be perpetrators.

Help is Limited

People experiencing mental illnesses often have a tough time accessing treatment for their mental health conditions. A dearth of treatment facilities, combined with exorbitant costs related to treatment, leads many of those suffering from serious mental health conditions to do without the help they need. It is clear that individuals who have a support system and health insurance are much less likely to engage in additional crimes following their release from jail, largely because they have better access to the help they need.

Arrests of Mentally Ill Individuals

People with mental illnesses are arrested and imprisoned disproportionately in comparison to the rest of the population. This seems to be in large part because society simply does not know what else to do with them. Minor issues like jaywalking result in preventative arrests to keep these people off the streets temporarily, perhaps in the hopes that being locked up will limit their ability to commit more serious crimes. The truth is that roughly four in 10 men incarcerated across the country suffer from mental illness, and two in three women who are incarcerated are suffering from mental illness. When it comes to juveniles, the numbers are even more alarming: seven in ten youth in the juvenile justice system have mental health conditions that impact their lives. Continue reading

Across the United States, prisons and jails are brimming with people who suffer from mental health issues. It is true: more than half of the prison population and more than two-thirds of those in jails suffer from mental health problems. If you or a loved one has such issues and is arrested, you know that jail is simply not the best place to wind up. Are there other options in California?

The Cycle Continues

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) people behind bars who suffer from mental health issues often have previous convictions and tend to serve longer sentences than the average offender. Any health issues — and mental health conditions in particular — tend to get worse without treatment, which can result in further problems with the criminal justice system. It is a vicious cycle that needs solutions.

Crisis Intervention Teams

Since police are usually the first on the scene of an altercation involving someone who suffers from mental health issues, states across the country are developing Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT’s) to assist with evaluation and de-escalation in crisis situations. The result is fewer arrests, access to diversion programs and services, and fewer injuries to offenders, police and others. Police and CIT members work together to impact communities by reducing severe outcomes involving the mentally ill. With teams of mental health workers, better trained police know how to interview, negotiate, and identify the effects of drugs, which means criminally involved or suicidal individuals get lifesaving help instead of simply being arrested.

Diversion Opportunities

In addition to pre-arrest interventions, many states direct arrestees to diversion courts instead of incarceration, giving people the chance to take responsibility for their actions, get the help they need, and have their records cleared in time. Studies show this can result in shorter sentences and fewer re-arrests.

Hope in California

The future looks bright for mental health intervention in California. Crisis Intervention Teams are embedded in police departments across the state, providing training for officers and redirecting offenders to support programs that can help instead of simply punish. The state has budgeted tens of millions of dollars to address the increasing challenges associated with the homeless population, substance use disorders, and mental illness, all of which may interact and lead to criminal activities. The state is committed to improving outreach and mental health diversion programs, while minimizing involvement with the criminal justice system. Another thing California is doing to improve outcomes for those with mental health issues is suspending Medicaid coverage during incarceration, rather than canceling it altogether. This can be important for those looking for treatment options and can reduce the chances of re-arrest. Continue reading

Articles Tagged with mental health

Criminal Justice and Mental Health Issues

Mental Health Issues and the Criminal Justice System