Inmates with mental health problems serve 30 to 40 percent more time in prison than those without mental health issues and their care can cost taxpayers up to 5 times more than treating them outside the prison system panelists told an audience at a City Club Forum on mental health in the criminal justice system. Lewis Katz, a professor of Law at Case Western University and Kathleen Keough, a Cleveland Muncipal Court Judge took part in the panel and say the stigma surrounding mental illness is part of the problem.
KATZ: it's much easier to get people to pay for building prisons than hospitals
KEOUGH: Everybody says 'not in my neighborhood' nobody wants an outpatient restoration facility in their neighborhood which would alleviate hospitalization costs.
Keough oversees the mentally disordered defender docket which specifically deals with cases where the defendant is mentally ill. Ohio does a relatively good job of treating mental illness in prisons she says - but nearly half are incarcerated for non-violent crimes and prison is not where those offenders belong. She says the money spent on mental health care in prisons would be better spent on mental health care hospitals designed to treat mental illness, and on community services to help rehabilitated offenders stay on track.
KEOUGH: You don't treat congestive heart failure in jail, you shouldn't treat mental illness in jail.
Keough acknowledges some offenders do belong in prison, but says providing better mental health treatment options for everyone will benefit both patients, and the community. Gretchen Cuda, 90.3