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Florida lawmakers weigh overhauling system for mentally ill prionsers

By Real Cost of Prisons Project (The Sentencing Project)

THE LEGISLATURE Florida lawmakers weigh overhauling system for mentally ill criminals Florida lawmakers, pushed by a Miami judge, are considering an overhaul of the system for handling mentally ill criminals. BY SHANNON COLAVECCHIO Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau TALLAHASSEE -- The current system for dealing with mentally ill people who commit crimes is, by all accounts, broken. And expensive: It costs Florida taxpayers tens of millions of dollars every year. People with schizophrenia or other mental illnesses who get arrested are sent to expensive mental health facilities, where they're stabilized for the sole purpose of appearing in court. Most get released on time served, only to get sick again for lack of medication and treatment. They commit more crimes and the process starts all over...continue to full post

Full post as published by The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog on April 21, 2009 (boomark / email).