APIndiana News

Indianapolis eyes changing treatment of mentally ill inmates

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Indianapolis’ mayor is proposing a slate of criminal-justice changes aimed at making the capital the latest U.S. city to steer mentally ill and drug-addicted suspects into treatment instead of jail.

Mayor Joe Hogsett’s wide-ranging plan includes an assessment center that would be built near a new jail. Officers would be able to send send nonviolent, mentally ill and drug-addicted suspects to the center rather than arresting them so they’d get short-term treatment or detox and get referrals for long-term services.

Up to 40 percent of Marion County’s inmates are deemed mentally ill.

Hogsett’s plan also would train all 1,650 of the city’s police officers and its 911 operators in crisis intervention and the ability to assess a person’s possible mental health issues.

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