Many in jail struggle with addictions and/or mental health problems. But jails are not medical facilities, so getting help to them is, at best, if an iffy proposition.
Thursday at Gonzaga University, Washington Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Stephens met with representatives from the legal and public health communities to talk about better coordination between them.
Stephens says many in the judicial community want this to happen.
“We've long committed to what we call therapeutic courts, which are courts that try to address addiction, some PTSD and veterans issues, some unique juvenile issues to try to get people connected to what's going to make the community safer and also address their needs instead of just criminalizing it.”
Other topics featured during our Inland Journal interview with Justice Debra Stephens:
The federal judiciary is getting a workout. Attorneys for a variety of interests are challenging actions taken by President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency.
“Our system never has worked when we test the limits of our absolute authority," she said.
