Why are they often taken to jail instead of psychiatric hospital?
2007-10-03 03:55:19 · 5 answers · asked by Sherry 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
This is one of the unfortunate by-products of the well intentioned, but sorely misguided policies of "deinstitutionalization" of the 1970's. Many psychiatric hospitals were closed down and the doors flung wide open which forced people who needed services into the streets. Supposedly community based mental health care was supposed to provide outpatient treatment so the lives of these individuals could be normalized. Unfortunately, community based care did not rise to the level of need created by this challenge. The criminal justice system is ill-equipped to deal with the specialized population. Combine this with the criminalization of many mental illnesses and conditions, results in an incarcerated population estimated at upwards of 25% mentally ill and better served in a different appropriate environment.
2007-10-03 04:10:08 · answer #1 · answered by jurydoc 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are alot of loopholes in the system in which this is allowed to happen. They are sent to jail instead of being treated in a proper facility and should never be able to get out. There are people who don't really have a "mental illness" who are wrongly locked up menta facilities.. They are just people who have problems fitting into society but have nothing wrong with them. Its just the government dont want to help these people. The system definitely needs to change.
2007-10-03 04:47:43 · answer #2 · answered by Sadie C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because our corrupt government cut down funding for mental care. Accordingly our corrupt, bully and brutal police keep arresting mentally ill individuals which in reality are not responsible for their wrong doings. They are being prosecuted and tried before arrogant, ignorant and senile judges which as a rule send mentally ill people to prisons instead of confining them in to mental institutions. That is the American way! Aren't you proud of your country?
2007-10-03 04:41:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
As a victim of this it is because they do not have a mental health facility near-by and/or they don't know you are mentally unstable, either way you get charged for whatever it is and they send you on your way after doing your time.
2007-10-03 04:05:07 · answer #4 · answered by Biaggi 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Becuase the system is broken
2007-10-03 04:11:22 · answer #5 · answered by Kevy 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋