skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

One million acres of forest protected under The Conservation Fund, including in OR; Trump seeks to set aside his New York hush money guilty verdict after Supreme Court immunity ruling; 'Share the Pennies' weatherization program tackles climate solutions, reduces cost; Utah feels the impact of California's ban on gestation crates.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

SCOTUS gives former President Trump a huge win in terms of immunity, which might apply to charges of election interference. A new poll finds future court appointments are crucial for voters, and President Biden continues to face post-debate calls to leave the race.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Ugly, imperfect produce destined for the landfill is being upcycled by a California candy company, a Texas volunteer uses his Navy training to map the gaps in broadband, and Pennsylvania has a new commission tasked with reversing its shrinking rural population.

Criminal Justice Month: Alternatives to incarceration for mental health issues

play audio
Play

Wednesday, March 20, 2024   

March is National Criminal Justice Month and advocacy groups are drawing attention to how people with mental illness are overrepresented in jails and prisons.

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, 43% of people in state prisons and 44% of people in local jails have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. However, placing them behind bars may not be the best solution.

John Mitchell, mental health court judge in Kootenai County, said about half of the people in his caseload have some sort of mental health diagnosis, but noted jail does little to change their behavior.

"Unless you can figure out a way to help those people address their mental health concerns, ideally at the same time they get their chemical dependency treatment, they're just going to keep coming back," Mitchell observed.

Mitchell acknowledged jail can be necessary for a person's safety or the public's safety but it has not often been the case in his 22 years heading the mental health court. He meets with people in the court typically over two years, on a weekly basis to begin with, and said he plays the role of cheerleader and coach.

John Hall, group facilitator for NAMI Idaho, has been incarcerated and said he was living with undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues. He argued diversion programs like Mitchell's are a better alternative to sentencing and added it is important to educate people before they become incarcerated.

"They have an opportunity beforehand to change the course and direction of their life through the management of their diagnosis," Hall emphasized. "Or maybe their life choices or maybe the environment that they have been in for some time."

Hall also noted peer mentor programs within Idaho's jails and prisons are showing promising results for people who are incarcerated.

Mitchell stressed it is powerful to watch the people he works with change.

"To see somebody with those things stacked against them deal with all their issues all at once and succeed, it's one of the coolest things you can do as a judge," Mitchell observed.

Disclosure: NAMI Idaho contributes to our fund for reporting on Mental Health. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
There are no income or registration requirements for kids to participate in the state's Summer Meals program, which serves breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner to all youths up to age 18. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

With school cafeterias closed for the summer, community groups and nonprofits are working to ensure that Colorado's one in five children who go …


Social Issues

play sound

Former President Donald Trump has taken credit for placing three conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. On Monday, the court awarded him a …

Health and Wellness

play sound

As summer kicks into full gear, North Carolina dentists stressed the importance of maintaining children's dental health. Dr. Miranda Kalaskey…


Memphis Light, Gas and Water is the largest three-service public power utility in the nation, serving more than 440,000 customers in Memphis and Shelby County. (Vika art/AdobeStock)

Social Issues

play sound

By Ashli Blow for Tennessee Lookout.Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Tennessee News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publ…

Social Issues

play sound

Connecticut advocates are distressed about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Grants Pass v. Gloria Johnson. The ruling said public camping bans …

Environment

play sound

The Conservation Fund, which works to protect land and nature across the U.S. has announced it has protected more than 1 million acres of working …

Health and Wellness

play sound

A Virginia community health center is part of a program addressing food scarcity. The National Association of Community Health Centers' 2024 …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021