KUHF ran a story today on specialty courts in Harris County and I though it was worth highlighting. It's focuses on Harris County's new District Attorney's decision to expand Harris County's Mental Health Court, but makes a general point about the increased popularity of specialty courts across the state, including Governor Perry's creation of two advisory councils to look into the expansion of such courts.
These are the Criminal Justice Advisory Council and the Specialty Courts Advisory Council.
When we look at the state judiciary in 2306 we will note local courts and the fact that the Harris County Court system contains a variety of specialty courts, including drug and veteran's courts in addition to mental health courts. The size of Harris County makes it practical to have them, while Brazoria County does not.
The Mental Health Court is relatively young and does not seem to have a clear mission. Is it meant to ensure that criminals are competent enough to stand trial or to find alternative ways of treating non violent offenders whose crimes were caused primarily by mental disorders? Should they be treated like other offenders? Increasingly the answer is no, not just because attitudes about the mentally ill have changed, but because incarceration is expensive.
Some additional reading (all will be helpful when we start wading through the local judiciary soon enough).
- Mental Health Court.
- Judge worries new Harris mental health court is in peril.
- Supporters celebrate felony mental health court.
- Judge hopes Houston mental health court will cut arrests.
- An Alternative to Incarceration.
