Pennsylvania accused of flouting deal on jailed mentally ill

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Marc Levy, Associated Press

Updated 3:10 pm, Thursday, May 11, 2017



HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania is failing its agreement to ensure mentally ill defendants avoid long stays in jail before they are transferred to a treatment unit, civil rights lawyers said in a Thursday court filing that asked a federal judge to end what they described as daily violations of constitutional rights.

In the filing, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer law firm in Washington, D.C., said they believe the average waits in Pennsylvania of more than 100 days are likely the worst in the nation. They are also far longer than the constitutional limit of seven days identified by federal courts in other states.

Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services is "foot-dragging" on commitments it made more than a year ago to settle a 2015 lawsuit, the lawyers wrote.
 
They asked U.S. District Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to order wait times reduced to no more than seven days and the creation of 100 more treatment beds within six months.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Pennsylvania-accused-of-flouting-deal-on-jailed-11138740.php

[dembotoz]

1. my son works as a jailor says his job is becoming less corrections and more mental health