EDITORIAL: California bill seeks more tools to help mentally ill criminals
Sacramento Bee (CA)May 24, 2016
County jails house other mentally ill inmates. And while they have committed crimes for which they should be incarcerated, no expert seriously argues that jails or prison are ideal places to house and treat them. Alternatives are needed.
Democratic Assemblymen
AB 2262 would empower judges to order treatment for criminal defendants who face years in prison or jail. Because it comes at a cost and would complicate judges' work, the bill is being held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Prudent though that is, the issue warrants thoughtful review. Assembly Speaker
The bill does raise questions. It gives discretion to judges to order treatment in prison and jail, or to refer criminals to residential treatment facilities. It's not clear that facilities exist to handle people who have committed crimes.
The measure also says people convicted of violent crimes would not qualify. But there's a long list of crimes that most people would consider to be violent -- some domestic violence and child abuse, for example -- that don't fit the Penal Code definition. That must be tightened.
In 1960, 36,853 people were locked in state hospitals, before governors dating to
That created other problems, as is evident on any street in any
No doubt, AB 2262 needs work. But it's a start. The notion of reducing crime, limiting recidivism and helping care for mentally ill people is worthy of legislators and a governor hoping to leave an impact for the good.
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