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The roles of law enforcement, enforcement again, starting the he was placed in solitary confine-
corrections, and probation officers same cycle. This is known as a ment. Within 20 days of arriv-
continue to change in order to better systems problem (McNamara, 2016, ing, his mental health seriously
identify and interact with offend- Wood et al 2017). declined. When he was brought out
ers with special needs, including to visit his parents, he was in a near
mental illness. In the 1950s, New Memphis and Baltimore Models catatonic state.
York released all mental health When Memphis, Tennessee In 1992, the Alabama DOC was
patients in their facilities who were police officers confronted and sued in federal court over their
not a “threat to themselves or oth- killed a mentally ill individual in handling of mentally ill inmates
ers.” The idea was that local mental 1988, there was a great community (Bradley v. Haley, USDC Middle
health facilities would care for these outcry. After reviewing the police’s District of Alabama). Bradley was
patients. Unfortunately, these orga- response to the situation, it was the only case illustrated in the
nizations did not exist. determined a different approach lawsuit. The suit claimed “horrific”
The problem of managing was necessary. living conditions, inadequate medi-
offenders with special needs, such Memphis Police Department, cal and psychological services, lack
as mental illness, was then shifted the University of Memphis Medical of treatment activities, inadequate
to the criminal justice system, which Center, and the local mental health staffing, and a serious lack of officer
was primarily designed to incarcer- agencies began working together to in-service education. A comprehen-
ate only adult white males—not provide mental health training to sive settlement was reached in 2002
females, men of color, juveniles, or selected police officers. When there covering the numerous deficien-
those with special needs and mental was a call involving a mentally ill cies (Southern Poverty Law Center,
health issues. This shift resulted in individual, these officers would 2002).
law enforcement, corrections, pro- respond to the scene. The officers As a result, all corrections officers
bation, and the courts recalibrating would assess the individual, then were required to receive in-service
their procedures in order to better contact the university medical cen- education on the early warning
interact with offenders with mental ter, to determine the most effective signs of mental illness. They also
health issues. These changes were option. The three groups would received education on when to
sometimes difficult both to accept work together to place this person refer inmates to mental health
and successfully implement. either in a treatment program, a services, suicide prevention, crisis
mental health facility, or the jail. intervention measures, and use of
Criminal Justice System: Same This became known as the Memphis restraints. Specifically, officers were
Offender model of Crisis Intervention Teams required to receive four to six hours
Although different segments of (Scott et al, 2005). of in-service education annually on
the criminal justice system interact The Baltimore model took this mental health issues. And, correc-
with offenders, it is not unusual for concept even further by providing tions officers assigned to work in
offenders with special needs to be training and ride-alongs for com- mental health units were required to
involved in several segments dur- munity mental health agencies with receive advanced education for two
ing the course of their involvement police officers. In addition, com- to three days prior to assignment.
with justice system. Law enforce- munity mental health agencies are This court decision was refer-
ment officers may remove offenders now provided with criminal justice enced in similar cases involving
with special needs to either the jail training to better understand the mentally ill inmates in jails and
or a diversion program for their difficulties faced by the criminal prisons. The specific hours of
own protection. Unfortunately, their justice system when the mentally mental health education on the dif-
aberrant behavior does not change ill become involved (Scott et al, ferent levels, including pre-service,
once they are placed in jail, requir- 2005). Although this approach had in-service, and prior-to-assignment,
ing the corrections officer and staff benefits for law enforcement, it did slowly became the standard handed
member to provide extra attention not provide the means of changing down by the courts (Southern
to them. other parts of the criminal justice Poverty Law Center, 2002).
The mental health court and a system.
probation officer can determine Crisis Intervention Training (CIT)–
the best course of action for this Bradley v. Haley Law Enforcement, Corrections,
offender. After treatment, the Bradley was a 22-year old First Responders
offender may be released into the inmate with mild mental health Mentally ill offenders who are
community. At some point, the issues. Upon arrival at Alabama out of control and off their medica-
offender may interact with law Department of Corrections (DOC), tion can be very dangerous. While

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