"STOP PLACING MENTALLY ILL IN JAIL"

Nicholas Turner, President and Director of the Vera Institute of Justice

The vast majority of people with mental health needs in jails face nonviolent charges but cannot afford even small amounts of bail. 

Their conditions are often exacerbated by pervasive abuse, medical neglect and overuse of solitary confinement. 

These conditions must improve, but we must also bolster efforts to prevent those with mental illness from ending up jailed in the first place.

Health and justice systems can work together to identify people in need, get them to appropriate services in the community, reduce the chance of re-arrest and rebuilds lives.

                           -----------NY Times OP-ED, Feb. 26, 2015