What Sentences Do Mentally Ill People Charged With Robbery Face in Arizona?
Mentally ill people charged with robbery often face long prison sentences. It’s important to highlight your issues if you have been charged with this serious offense. Robbery offenses are felonies in Arizona. The consequences of this charge are severe. Under state law, robbery is a class 4 felony. Class 4 felonies carry a presumptive term […]
Which Crimes Are Dealt with in Mental Health Courts in Arizona?
Mental health courts in Arizona are expanding but not all defendants are eligible to use them. Defendants charged with the most serious crimes are typically not dealt with by mental health courts. Mental health courts are a diversionary program intended to give offenders an alternative to prison. More jurisdictions on Arizona have set up mental […]
How Often are Defendants Found Guilty Except Insane in Arizona?
The guilty except insane defense in Arizona is used in a relatively small number of cases. GEI, also known as the insanity defense, is difficult to prove in our state. A report on PBS noted lawyers raise the insanity defense in less than 1 percent of felony cases nationwide and is successful in a fraction […]
Book Raises Fears About Mental Illness, Marijuana and Violence
A new book has raised fears about mental illness, marijuana, and violence. The book claims the drug may induce psychosis and schizophrenia in some users, in particular, young men in their 20s. However, the book by former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson has also provoked a backlash. Berenson’s book, Tell Your Children: The Truth […]
Sundance Festival Highlights How the Criminal Justice System Treats Mental Illness
A high profile movie shown at The Sundance Festival recently highlighted the treatment of people with mental illness by America’s criminal justice system. Kenneth Rosenberg, a psychiatrist, and director of “Bedlam,” highlighted how the criminal justice system is failing the mentally ill at a movie showcased at the Sundance Festival earlier this year. Rosenberg described […]
Solitary Confinement for Mentally Ill Prisoners in Maricopa County Comes Under Fire
The holding of prisoners with mental illnesses in solitary confinement in Arizona has been controversial for many years. Solitary confinement in Maricopa County, in particular, has come under fire. Articles in the media have highlighted horrendous conditions in Maricopa jails including inmates held in filthy conditions and kept alone for long periods. Last year, Eric […]
How do the Arizona Courts Treat Juvenile Defendants with Mental Illnesses?
Many young people with mental illnesses end up in the Arizona courts. According to the AMA Journal of Ethics, about 70 percent of youth involved with the justice system face at least one mental health issue compared to just 22 percent of youth in the general population. Juvenile defendants with mental illnesses may be treated […]
If Someone is SMI, Does that Make Him Incompetent in Arizona?
Serious mental illness (SMI) is a term used people who have certain mental health diagnoses in Arizona. They struggle to keep control of their lives because of the condition. The fact a defendant is diagnosed with SMI does not automatically mean he will be ruled incompetent in a criminal proceeding. His attorney may have grounds […]
Can a Mental Health Attorney Help Me In Family Court?
If you have been involved in a criminal case, you might need help from a mental health attorney. This is especially true during cases that are held at Mental Health Court. But what about Family Court? Yes, a mental health attorney can offer legal advice and representation on cases in Family Court. What is a […]
How Sentences can be Reduced for Mentally Ill Defendants in Arizona
Criminal defense attorneys put a lot of work into arguing the innocence of their clients. However, some defendants plead guilty. Others are convicted, notwithstanding the best efforts of their lawyers. In Arizona, the law gives lawyers the opportunity to argue for lesser sentences for their clients. Sentences may be reduced for mentally ill defendants in […]