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Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Law - Lake County Illinois considers a mental health court
"Court would assist mentally ill: Lake considers move to reduce jail crowding" is the headline today to this story in the Chicago Tribune. Some quotes:
Faced with chronic jail overcrowding, Lake County officials are exploring whether to establish a special courtroom for mentally ill defendants who would receive treatment--even job counseling--instead of jail time. * * *Dealing with a similar trend, officials in DuPage and Cook Counties have set up mental health courts. In DuPage, non-violent misdemeanor offenders are sent there, while Cook transfers non-violent felony cases.
DuPage State's Atty. Joseph Birkett said many of the defendants are homeless and unemployed, presenting workers with multiple challenges. "You have the opportunity to build up a treatment regimen so people get on their medications, obtain housing and a job, and instead of becoming a burden on the system, they become productive citizens again," he said.
At any given time, Birkett said, the court system deals with at least two dozen misdemeanor defendants who qualify for mental health court, where charges typically are dropped if the defendant fulfills the court-ordered treatment requirements. He said there has been only one case of recidivism involving an arrest for a non-violent offense.
The mental health court, initially set up on a trial basis in 2001, also has saved money for the criminal justice system, he said. "In Du Page County alone, we've saved tens of thousands of dollars in rearrests, housing them in jail, prosecution functions and the defense of these people, many of whom are indigent," Birkett said.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on June 29, 2004 12:01 PM
Posted to General Law Related