Sixteen percent of the adult inmate population in the United States has a diagnosable mental illness. Around the country, counties have developed mental health courts set up to serve mentally ill adult offenders who are not threats to public safety. The goal is to try and keep them out of the penal system. Reporter Laurie Udesky examined mental health issues pertaining to the teen-aged prison population. Were such courts for minors with mental illness? What did it actually take to help mentally ill teens who break the law stay out of trouble?
Read "A Safe Place for Troubled Teens"
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