Monday, January 13, 2003

Number of mentally ill prisoners increase, jails lack funds to cope (Michigan)
Story in the Michigan Daily - "The number of mentally ill people being locked up in Michigan jails and prisons is increasing, leading to a heightened risk of inmate suicide. Frustrated administrators say they lack the money, personnel and expertise to evaluate or treat such inmates."  
  

CNN.com - Jail officials agree to mental health reforms (California)
CNN story - "County officials have agreed to a series of sweeping reforms aimed at better identifying and treating thousands of mentally ill inmates in the nation's largest jail system, heading off a possible federal civil rights lawsuit. The agreement, finalized last month, followed years of alleged abuses in Los Angeles County jails, including the use of excessive force and the improper use of restraints that led to the deaths of at least two mentally ill inmates."