How Colorado's Jail System Became a Substitute for Mental Health Care

Summary

This investigation examines how Boulder County Jail has effectively become a substitute for the mental health system in Colorado. The story follows E.M., a woman with schizoaffective disorder who cycled in and out of jail while awaiting competency restoration services. The article reveals how Colorado's dysfunctional system for restoring competency in defendants with serious mental illness leads to people languishing in jails, where solitary confinement and harsh conditions further deteriorate their mental health. It highlights systemic failures where judges routinely approve isolation requests for mentally ill inmates, and the lack of adequate community mental health resources pushes people into the criminal justice system.

Source

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