Texas FINALLY addressing the issue of mental illness in the prison system

[Horse with no Name]

It's about time. I met the District Judge at a party and he is a very good man and a very good Democrat. I am glad to see him on top of this.

http://theparisnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=1c29435b32d52605
>>>snip
The effect incarceration has on the mentally ill and what changes may need to be made in prison systems is the charge of a state task force named Monday.

Under the auspices of The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the group joins other selected state groups brought together by The Council of State Government Justice Center.

The Chief Justices’ Criminal Justice/Mental Health Leadership Initiative is a national project designed to assist state supreme court chief justices in guiding efforts in their state to improve the response to people with mental illnesses in the criminal justice system.

6th District Judge Jim Lovett, who serves the Red River Valley, recently named the treatment of mentally ill patients as one of his biggest concerns about Texas prisons, the other two being the incarceration of drug offenders with the habitually violent criminal and the lack of sex offender treatment programs.

[Taverner]

1. Kick for VelmaD

She might be interested...

[Horse with no Name]

2. I guess people would RATHER talk about

Texas executing mentally incompetent people than Texas trying to correct the problem?:shrug:

[PDittie]

13. How about a moratorium on executions?

Just kicking, not hijacking, HwnN. :hi:

Texans only, contact your legislators through this link:

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/tmn/campaign/?campaign_KEY=6761

[tammywammy]

3. kick

At least something is happening.

:kick:

[Nutmegger]

4. Jeez DU is funny sometimes

There will be a 500 post count in a thread about smoking yet something like this barley gets noticed.

R and K from me.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. I think most people are in agreement that this is a good thing

The threads that get the highest post count are ones where people actually have something to debate over.

[Nutmegger]

7. More like flaming, not debate.

At least some folks can kick it. I'm tired of seeing good posts sink.

[Hippo_Tron]

8. Most debates have a mix of flames and legitimate argument

[TahitiNut]

11. Yummmm!

Barley! Not just for horses anymore!

[Ilsa]

6. About time. Too many mentally ill and chemically dependant

folks in Tx prisons.

And a stupid San Antonio tv station was running an expose on the wonderful mandated medical care prisioners get while you an dI have to pay for healthcare or don't qualify for Medicaid or insurance, etc. They don't get it: prisoners can't go out to see the doc. The state has to take care of them or let them go.

[Horse with no Name]

9. More from another story in the same paper

>>>snip
According to Texas Department of Criminal Justice, state prison facilities were at 97.5 percent of capacity as of the end of January 2007. The average cost of an inmate in fiscal year $2006 was $15,338. The state has 80,000 maximum security beds but only 32,000 inmates classified as violent, according to a report issued by the Associated Press and credited to state Sen. John Whitmore, D-Houston, chairman of the Criminal Justice Committee.

Those figures alone indicate the projected overcrowding situation in Texas prisons could be alleviated if instead of building more regular beds, funds be diverted toward mental health and drug rehabilitation facilities along with the conversion of some general prisons to treatment centers.

A reallocation of funds is what Lovett called for last week when he said that “one size does not fit all” when it comes to state prisons. Lovett advocates for in-house treatment programs as well as stepped up treatment in probation programs that he says will prevent first-time offenders from repeating offenses and returning to the general prison population.

Lovett says more should be done for inmates with alcohol and drug problems and certainly more alternatives should be given judges in dealing with mental health cases. More funds for state hospitals are needed, Lovett says. The judge also has concerns about inmates with sexual abuse offenses being confined with general population inmates. About the lack of intervention programs, Lovett contends such programs, such as the one conducted by the 6th District probation department, could bring about change in the mind set of some sexual offenders while making sure the repeat offender is removed from society.
http://theparisnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=82f7c992dfc2b16d

[piedmont]

10. Go Texas!

Any reforms they make need to go beyond the prison system, of course, and deal with patient care in the "free world."
k&r

[Horse with no Name]

12. kick

[PDittie]

14. Austin American Statesman has more as well

"This is a significant step forward to address these issues, so prisons are not also serving as mental health units," said House Corrections Committee Chairman Jerry Madden, R-Plano, who planned to announce Texas' participation this afternoon.

"This is a growing problem. The number of people who are in prison with mental health issues is a staggering number . . . and most of them get no treatment, and when they get out (of prison) they hit the streets with no support at all.

"Then, they come right back in," he added. "It's a revolving door. Solving this problem is a key to reducing recidivism and increasing public safety."

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/02/20/20mental.html

[PDittie]

15. But Grits is not impressed

After all, it is the odious Sharon Keller in charge...


http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2007/02/leaders-of-mental-health-task-force.html