ADDICTIONS & OTHER CO-OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Let’s stop the revolving door
Over the years as both a prosecutor and a deputy public defender, I noticed incarcerating individuals for their criminal transgressions was only a temporary deterrence to future criminal conduct. It was only a matter time before the person was back with a new case and, already having a criminal record or “rap sheet,” it only made the penalties more severe.
Sometimes good people end up “in the system” with one little mistake, whether it’s because you made one bad decision to go out drinking on your birthday and drive home, or you got caught up with the wrong crowd. Unfortunately, once your “in the system,” even for an arrest, the prosecutor will look at your “rap sheet” and you will not be treated as if you are innocent until proven guilty.
Jail or prison becomes a revolving door and in the long-term, harms the person’s ability to take care of themselves and become a productive member of society, because how can you find a place to live, or get help, without money and whose going to hire you if you have a “record.”
Jail is not a long-term solution. If the pandemic has taught us anything, being locked up and isolated from society tends to increase depression, violence, desperation, and mental illness in general.
If you or a loved one are tired of the vicious cycle of suffering due to mental health issues or addictions, and as a result find yourself in trouble with the criminal justice system, you may be eligible for mental health diversion or military diversion in certain cases. Call to find out if you are eligible.
