In the months to come, Southern Oregon’s Jackson County will consider new ways in which to try and convict mentally ill defendants. Across the state, even more legislative changes may occur concerning mentally ill inmates, after a recent study found that almost 10 percent of Oregon jail inmates suffer from mental illness.
Governor Kulongoski has proposed a plan to set up four hospitals across the state that would serve as holding and treatment facilities for mentally ill criminals; due to the high cost of treating patients while in prison, Kulongoski and supporters argue that hospitals specifically created for the needs of the mentally ill will save Oregon money in the long run.
The idea for a mental health court system in Jackson County (where the percentage of mentally ill inmates is more than double that of the state) also emerged from the unfortunate fact of jails that are often overcrowded with mentally ill inmates who have committed relatively menial crimes; trespassing or public intoxication, for instance. The purpose of a mental health court is to focus upon treatment rather than incarceration of a defendant, with the help of employees specifically trained to recognize the needs of the mentally ill.
Lane County can give itself a pat on the back, because it already uses a mental health court; as do Yamhill and Clackamas counties. The Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project Web site notes that since the Clackamas County court’s installation, defendants have participated in community service activities, group check-ins and treatment for substance abuse; all the while staying under supervision yet out of Oregon jails.
At a time when, across the country and across the state, criminals are released because there is simply not enough space to hold them, it makes much sense to create separate spaces to try and hold mentally ill criminals. Because many of their crimes have occurred due to a lack of mental comprehension about social norms or community expectations, treating the illness rather than imprisoning the person will be most beneficial to everyone. And, because prisons are required to provide adequate health services to all inmates, there is no financial difference between treating a mentally ill inmate in jail (where few employees will understand the disorder faced by the inmate), or at a psychiatric hospital specifically equipped to help the mentally ill.
Sadly, the Oregon study that reported on the 9 percent rate of mentally ill inmates also found that those inmates were significantly more likely to be either physically or sexually assaulted than their fellow prisoners.
Obviously, prison is not the best place for people with a mental illness, be it in terms of crime prevention, tax money or the inmates’ own health and safety. The proposed mental health court in Jackson County, and Gov. Kulongoski’s plan to create more psychiatric facilities for inmates, ought to be lauded by residents across the state.