Bill To Provide More Effective Treatment
For Mentally Ill Offenders Passes Judiciary Committee

 

WASHINGTON (Thursday, March 6, 2008) – The Senate Judiciary Committee today unanimously approved bipartisan legislation to help state and local law enforcement address the needs of mentally ill offenders.  The bill would take a large step towards making it easier for local and state governments to better treat and handle mentally ill people in the criminal justice system.

 

The Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (S. 2304) was introduced last year by Sens. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), and cosponsored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.).  Budget cuts in recent years have resulted in lower funding levels for these critical programs, and only 11 percent of grant applications have been accepted.  The bill authorizes $75 million in grants to better address the needs of mentally ill individuals in the justice system.  These grants will help state and local governments create or expand mental health courts, treatment and training programs to help address the needs of mentally ill offenders and reduce repeat offenses.  It also authorizes an additional $10 million for law enforcement training grants to teach law enforcement how to recognize and react to situations involving mentally ill persons.  This Act will give state and local governments the tools they need to break the cycle of mentally ill individuals ending up in jail because they have not received adequate care, which will benefit law enforcement, corrections officers, the public’s safety, and the mentally ill offenders themselves.  

 

“Mental health courts work, and this is a vehicle for providing broader support for these programs.  Too often, law enforcement and communities are ill-prepared to address individuals with mental illness when they enter the criminal justice system, let alone treat them.  Our bill will give local entities resources to work cooperatively to better address mentally ill offenders,” Domenici said.  “I am pleased the committee has acted favorably on this bill and look forward to Senate consideration this year.”

 

"Individuals and their loved ones struggle with countless challenges and barriers during a mental health crisis,” Kennedy said.  “Too often, the current system fails to meet constitutional safeguards, or fails to dedicate resources effectively so that people will get help instead of jail time.  With this bill, Congress will authorize significant support for cooperative efforts between law enforcement and mental health experts."

 

“This legislation brings together law enforcement, corrections, and mental health professionals to help respond to the needs of our communities,” Leahy said.  “They are familiar with the unique problems states face with mentally ill offenders, and they understand the importance of federal support.  This legislation is critical to providing them with the support they need.”

 

“This bill will promote public safety and community health by providing law enforcement and mental health systems with the resources they need to handle criminal offenders with mental illness,” Specter said.  “In particular, the bill will enable nationwide expansion of the innovative Mental Health Court model, which has been proven to significantly decrease recidivism among participants.”

 

More than 16 percent of adults incarcerated in U.S. jails and prisons have a mental illness, and about 20 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have serious mental health problems.  Almost half the inmates in prison with a mental illness were incarcerated for committing a nonviolent crime.

 

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Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee,
Executive Business Meeting,
On The Mentally Ill Offender Treatment And Crime Reduction Act
March 6, 2008

Today the Committee will turn to legislation to reauthorize the “Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act.” I was a sponsor of the original authorization of this Act in 2004, and I am proud that these programs have helped state and local governments to reduce crime by providing more effective treatment for the mentally ill. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of the reauthorization of this important legislation in this Congress, and I thank Senators Kennedy, Domenici, and Specter for their leadership on this issue. I also thank each of them for working with me and with the Department of Justice to prepare a consensus substitute amendment which resolves a few concerns and makes a few improvements to this important bill.

All too often, people with mental illness find themselves in a revolving door between the criminal justice system and the streets of our communities, committing a series of minor offenses. These offenders end up in prisons or jails, where little or no appropriate medical care is available for them. This bill gives state and local governments the tools to break this cycle, for the good of law enforcement, corrections officers, the public’s safety, and the mentally ill offenders themselves. More than 16 percent of adults incarcerated in U.S. jails and prisons have a mental illness, and about 20 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have serious mental health problems. Almost half the inmates in prison with a mental illness were incarcerated for committing a nonviolent crime. This is a serious problem that I hear about often when I talk with law enforcement officials and others in Vermont.

Under this bill, state and local governments can apply for funding to create or expand mental health courts or other court-based programs, which can divert qualified offenders from prison to receive treatment; create or expand programs to provide specialized training for criminal justice and mental health system personnel; create or expand local treatment programs that serve individuals with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders; and promote and provide mental health treatment for those incarcerated in or released from jails and prisons.

The grants created under this program have been in high demand, but only about 11 percent of the applications submitted have been able to receive funding due to the scarce federal funds available. This bill would aim to increase funding for these programs, authorizing $75 million to help communities address the needs of the mentally ill in our justice system. The bill also provides $10 million for law enforcement training grant programs to help law enforcement recognize and respond to incidents involving mentally ill persons.

This legislation brings together law enforcement, corrections, and mental health professionals to help respond to the needs of our communities. They are familiar with the unique problems states face with mentally ill offenders, and they understand the importance of federal support. I hope the Committee will report this bill without delay and the Senate will act quickly to pass it.

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