In a 3,270-word article on its front page, USA Today (7/22, A1, Johnson) reports from Newport, RI, where 40% “of all calls to police involve people who are mentally ill or have behavioral problems,” a number that “only begins to assess how an overwhelmed criminal justice system has become the de facto caretaker of Americans who are mentally ill and emotionally disturbed.” USA Today notes that from police departments and prisons to courthouses and jails nationwide, “the care of those who are mentally ill weighs heaviest on law enforcement authorities, many of whom readily acknowledge that they lack both resources and expertise to deal with the crushing responsibility.”
Related Links:
— “Mental illness cases swamp criminal justice system,” , USA Today, July 21, 2014.