Over the last few decades, many of the mental institutions in the United States were emptied out and closed down. And that did not happen because everyone in these institutions had been treated and safely sent on their way. No, these institutions have been shut down without a clear solution for how people would be cared for moving forward.
Why is this relevant to the criminal justice system? It’s relevant because these hospitals were shut down, but there was nothing else created to replace them. Plus, there still is not adequate healthcare in the United States, so people without health insurance and money are unable to get the care and treatment that they need. Many of these people end up homeless.
To make matters worse, police are now the ones dispatched if someone is having a mental health crisis. That means that someone might be arrested, rather than provided with medical care. Or, as often happens, that person might be injured or killed by the police when what they needed was a mental health intervention and treatment., I wrote about how the cash bail system in the United States is unjust and targets poor folks and communities of color.
We can’t necessarily solve all of the problems related to poverty and homelessness in the United States overnight. But there are clear solutions that would do so much more good for so many people. They would help individuals, communities, and society as a whole. As you start seeing calls to divert funding to services that support people in your community, speak up with support. Call your lawmakers and let them know where you stand.