The NY Times: Jail Is a Death Sentence for a Growing Number of Americans
In Houston’s jail, where the population is at its highest in a decade, 24 people have died this year. More than half had a history of mental problems. “Houston, whose jail has reached its highest population count in over a decade, is far from the only city where jails have become more fatal. Deaths have […]
“Hope from behind bars, the fight to end Solitary Confinement in Texas”
“This story is a candid look at what it’s like to spend decades in isolation, and the struggle to rehabilitate those who have experienced it. ‘It is torture, and I think the torture begins mentally,’ said Dennis Hope. For 32 years, Dennis Hope has been in prison. ‘When you begin to look at yourself like […]
The Continued Efforts of Baytown’s Mental Health Unit
(Baytown, TX) Baytown police mental health officers average at least one call a day in recent weeks, with more than half of those calls result in a person being involuntarily committed for mental health evaluation. Assistant Police Chief Mike Holden told members of the Baytown Police Advisory Committee about the number of mental health responses. […]
Confirmed Homicide of Person with Disability Ruled Justified
Marvin Scott was a 26 year-old African American suffering from Schizophrenia. Marvin used marijuana as a medication for his condition. At an outlet mall in Allen, Texas, Marvin was arrested on a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge. The officers first took Scott to a local hospital because he was reportedly acting erratically. He was subsequently released […]