TO: Dr.

Aaron Martin
CC: Isabel Max, Huda Rabbani, Khawla Rahman, Avery Zimmerman
FROM: Palak Joshi
DATE: February 15, 2017
SUBJECT: Local and State Governments Spheres Actions Regarding the Mentally Ill in
Prison

Ithasbeenrecognizedbothatanationallevelandstatelevelthatthenumberof
peoplewithmentalillnessinjail,specificallyfornonviolentcrimes,isconcerning.
Researchershavefoundthatrecurringincarcerationsaremoreprevalentinoffenderswith
seriousmentalillnesses(Morrison,2013).Michiganalreadyhasitsmentalhealthlaws;
MCL330.1206ensurespeoplereceivetheirmentalhealthservesregardlessoftheir
abilitytopayandMCL330.1207specifiestherequirementtoprovideservicesto
seriouslymentallyillanddivertthemfromincarceration(Morrison,2013).Michigans
prisonshavefoundtobecomethestateslargestmentalhealthinstitution,andthus
Michiganisoneoffewstatesthathaveattemptedtoaddressthisproblem(Morrison,
2013).
In2004,theMichiganStateSenateapprovedalegislationtotryandensurethat
thosewhoneededtreatmentreceivedit.Thelegislationsallowsmentalilltodesignatea
persontomakedecisionsregardingtheirmentalhealthandtreatment(Obesity,Fitness&
WellnessWeek).Thissomethingthatisalreadyinplaceforphysicalillness,andthusthis
legislationextendedthat.Thisiscrucial,asmanypeoplerefusetreatmentbecauseofthe
impactoftheirillness.Moreover,thislegislationalsosaysthatamentallyillpersonwho
hasbeenjailedorhasaviolenthistorycouldbeorderedtoreceiveoutpatienttreatmentif
theyrefusetocomplywiththeirprescribedtreatment(Obesity,Fitness&Wellness
Week).Outpatienttreatmentmeansthat,withthenatureoftheircrimeinperspective,
wouldnotneedtoenterthesystem.This,RepublicanSenatorTomGeorgesays,isoneof
themainaimsofthelegislation(Obesity,Fitness&WellnessWeek).Amentalhealth
programwouldprovidethetreatment,andthecostswouldbepickedupbyeitherthe
programorMedicaid(obesity,Fitness&WellnessWeek).
MichiganalsohasKevinslaw,whichmandatesthatlongtermoutpatientcare
lastsatleastsixmonths(Mullen,2015).However,initsoriginalform,thelawrequired
anincident,likeanarrest,tobeapplied.In2005,anewlegislationwaspassedthatwould
allowfamilymemberstorequestthetreatmentbeforeacrisisoccurred(Mullen,2015).
Alsobeforethenewlegislation,thelawwasbarelyused,duetoitbeingunderfundedand
misunderstood.Now,thislawallowsjudgestoorderservicestooverseetherapysessions
andthepatientsoverallcare(Mullen,2015).Additionally,theLt.Governorhadbudgeted
moneyonhiringmorepersonneltomanagethecasingsandeducateabouttheusesofthe
law.Yet,manyarestillunawarethatthelawevenexists.
 Onthelocallevels,WayneCountyspecificallyhasimplementedmultiple
programstoaddressthissituation,oneofwhichistheExpeditedPleaProgram.This
programbeganin2002ascollaborationbetweenthecountysprosecutorsoffice,andthe
DetroitWayneCountyCommunityMentalHealthAgency(Morrison,2013).Itfocuses
onoffensesthatareeligibleforprobation.Defendantsareofferedpleaagreements.Then,
theymustundergopsychiatricassessmentsandifeligible,therecommendationsofthe
staffarepresentedtothecourtbeforesentencing.Thoserecommendationsthenbecome
partoftheprobationsentence(Morrison,2013).Thisprogramhelpsidentifycrimes
causedbyamentalillnessatitsinnocuousstageinordertostopthecycleofrepeated
incarceration.
AlsoinWayneCounty,apilotmentalhealthjaildiversionprogramhasbeen
implemented.Thistoofocusesonoutpatienttreatmentand/orpsychiatriccareratherthan
imprisonment.Arequirementforthisprogramisaguiltyplea,andthenifdetermined
eligibleforaprogram,theymakeaspecialplea(Morrison,2013).Afteramentalhealth
assessment,thedefendantsmustagreetofollowtherecommendedtreatmentorproceed
totrial.Iftheyagree,theyarethenofferedprobation(alongwiththetermsoftreatment).
If,however,thedefendantfailstocomplywhileonprobation,theymaybeincarcerated
orhavechangesmadetotheirprobation(Morrison,2013).Thisprocessiscalledmental
healthcourt,similartodrugcourts.Itsapplicationsinrealityarenotasbigasimagined,
duetothelimitedfunding.Itonlyhasthecapacitytoadmit12referralsaweek,andthus
theyfocusonlongtermoffenderswithoutahistoryofassaultivebehavior(Morrison,
2013).Ifallottedmorefunds,thediversionprogramcouldprovidepeoplewiththe
secondchancetheyneed.
Thepilotmentalhealthcourtsbeganrunningin2009,andthuswehaveenough
resultstodemonstrateitseffect.Theparticipantsofthepilothada300%lesschancefor
recidivismascomparedtomentallyilldefendantsintraditionalcourts(Morrison,2013).
Afterayearandahalf,therecidivismrateoftheparticipantswasonlyabout14%,while
thecomparisongroupsratewasabout36%,whichisasignificantdifference(Morrison,
2013).Thus,ithasbeenconcludedthatthispilotdoeshelptheoffendersillness,which
isthesourceoftheircrimes.Thisisdonethroughcourts,andthroughgovernment
money.Thispilotprovesthatwiththisprogram,lessmoneywouldbeneededtosustain
prisonsoverall,whichiscontrarytowhatonemaythink,asthecourtsneedtohire
psychiatristsandadditional,trainedstaff.$35,000ofMichigantaxpayermoneygoesto
mentallyillnonviolentdefendants,astheyarepronetolongersentencesfortheir
repeatedcrimes(Morrison,2013).However,withlessrepeatedcrimesviatheprogram,
lessmoneywouldbeneeded.Thetreatmentthementalhealthcourtsprovidecostsonly
about$10,000,endingupsignificantlycheaper(Morrison,2013).Since2013,the
programhasledtosavingsof$1.5million(asof2013).Thementalhealthcourtsalso
receivefundingfromtheARRAactalongwiththeSCAOandMDCH(Morrison,2013).
However,asnotedabove,thecourtsarenotabletoacceptasmanyparticipantsasthey
wishduetolackofresources.
Althoughithashelpedmanypeople,noteveryonehasaccesstotheprogram.It
wasfoundthatmorethanhalfoftheparticipantsofthementalhealthcourtweremale,
eventhoughmorewomeninstatejailsmeetthecriteriaforseriousmentalillnessthan
men31%and14.5%respectively(Morrison,2013).Thisdemonstratesthe
disadvantagementallyillwomenhave,especiallyintermsofthecriminalsystem.
Mentallyillwomendonothavetheopportunitytogettreatmentfortheirillnessandstop
committingpettycrimesthatlandthemupjailrepeatedly.Thus,itisintegralthat
Michiganextendthisprogramtoincludemorewomen,ordesignanotherprogramthat
caterstowomenspecifically.
Theproblemofthementallyillbeingcriminalizedisaproblembecausethe
governmenthastakenstepstotryandfixit.Byimplementingsomelawstohelpthose
sufferinggettreatmentandtryingoutpilotprogramsinprisons,Michiganhasatleast
identifiedwhatworksandwhatdoesnt,andforwhom.Withmorefundstoexpandthe
mentalhealthcourtsanddiversionprograms,morepeoplecouldbereintegratedinto
society,whichwouldalsoaidMichiganeconomically,asitwouldnthavetoburden
thosepeoplesincarcerationcosts.Theinitiativeshavebeentaken,andwithmoreeffort
andcalltoeffortfromthepeople,theinitiativeshavethepotentialtotrulyfixthis
problem.
Bibliography:
Michigan Senate passes mental health reform legislation." Obesity, Fitness &
Wellness Week, 4 Dec. 2004, p. 959. Academic OneFile
Morrison, Ariella. "Everybody matters: an exploration of diversion programs
benefiting mentally ill nonviolent offenders in the Michigan and federal legal
systems." Journal of Law in Society, vol. 15, no. 1, 2013, p. 167+. Academic
OneFile
Mullen, Ross Jones Ann. "Bill Aiming to Strengthen State's Mental Health Code
Moves through Lansing." WXYZ. The E.W. Scripps Co, 29 June 2015. Web. 15
Feb. 2017