L. A. County jailers more likely to use force on mentally ill inmates (LA Times)

[pinto]

Mentally ill inmates make up about 15% of the Los Angeles County jail population but are involved in about a third of use-of-force incidents by deputies.

By Jack Leonard and Robert Faturechi, Los Angeles Times
January 11, 2012

Los Angeles County jailers are more likely to use force against mentally ill inmates than other prisoners, according to a new Sheriff's Department report that acknowledges the lockups need specially trained staff to reduce the violence.

Roughly a third of the 582 deputy use-of-force cases in the jail system last year involved inmates with mental health histories, according to an analysis released Tuesday. About 15% of the jail's 15,000 inmates are classified as mentally ill.

The numbers provide a more detailed picture of the confrontations between deputies and inmates, an issue that has sparked intense scrutiny over the last few months and prompted a heated debate Tuesday between Sheriff Lee Baca and some L.A. County supervisors.

<snip>

David Bennett, a criminal justice consultant who has been hired by jails across the country, said mentally ill inmates pose unique problems for jail managers. Many don't belong in jail, he said, but wind up incarcerated as a result of behavior linked to their illnesses. Once in jail, mentally ill inmates are more prone to act out in a way that could lead jailers to use force, he said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sheriff-jails-20120111,0,2284536.story

[FarPoint]

1. This can be any jail these days...

Mental health services are so very stretched and limited....when one goes off their meds they tend to get into some trouble, end up in jail. Well, getting back on their meds can be challenging since they don't want them, say due to paranoia for example. The jail can not force meds on paitients any more that a psyche unit can...without a court order. Delusional or paranoid thinking untreated causes confusion for all parties involved. Patients-inmates can become uncooperative or even a danger to self and others. It's just not pretty anyway you look at it. I don't see the mentally ill being targeted or taking more abuse than any other inmate....it must be a difficult job for hospital staff and/or offices and guards.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. Most jailhouse deputies don't have any real training

about dealing with mentally ill people. More mental hospitals and staff are sorely needed, especially considering that a larger number of people are on psych meds these days. Many of the problems these people have can be fixed by med adjustment or encouraging med compliance. Professionals are needed to accomplish these goals, not jailers.

[pinto]

3. Agree. Especially professional out-patient care and follow up.

[HelenWheels]

4. I worked in the Correctional field for 15 years

I saw many mentally ill inmates, adults and youths. Typically there would be one psychiatrist to treat 800 plus men. So basically there was no treatment. I saw many correctional officers who were kind and protected the mentally ill as best they could. I also saw officers who had no idea what to do when a mentally ill inmate acted out so they strong armed them and put them in security.
The saddest were the mentally ill young people. When I worked there if they acted out they were restrained on a bed with arms and legs cuffed to the bed. Thankfully this is no longer done.
Most of the problems with the kids were families that couldn't afford treatment or didn't care enough to get treatment. It was not recognized at that time (1980 - 2000) the reason these kids were in trouble so often was they were mentally ill, neglected or abused.
Sadly, we are reverting back to those times.