This opinion piece by the New York Times Editorial Board is well worth reading. It highlights a growing problem in the state of New York, but a problem which all states share to some extent: that of the growing population of prison inmates who are mentally ill.
They state that 40% of New York’s 12,000 inmates have mental illness.
It cites a new court intervention program for those mentally ill people who commit crimes to receive needed treatment instead of jail sentences.
Everyone — including the mentally ill — deserves a fair and just trial in the Arizona court system. If you or a loved one are charged with a crime, and if there is a history of mental problems, make sure you get an attorney who has deep experience in defending the mentally ill.
