ProPublicaWhen police took Jimmy into custody, they followed protocol for people charged with a crime: mug shot, fingerprints.
But Jimmy had not been charged with a crime. His father asked the county to bring Jimmy in for a mental evaluation & treatment after he'd threatened to hurt family members & himself.
On his booking form, under "offence," was a single word: “LUNACY," a charge that doesn't exist.
#MentalHealth #CivilRights #CriminalJustice #News #Mississippi #Jail #Police
Their Families Said They Needed Treatment. Mississippi Officials Threw Them in Jail Without Charges.
In Mississippi, serious mental illness or substance abuse can land you in jail, even if you aren’t charged with a crime. The state is a stark outlier in jailing so many people for so long, but many officials say they don’t have another option.
AJD