Civil rights advocates forgo lawsuit and form partnership with state to keep mentally ill out of jail [Video]

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A new program is designed to divert the mentally ill to treatment, even if they’ve already committed a crime.

The Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law has created a two-year program in collaboration with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health.

“Prosecutors, judges, public defenders, family members, all found themselves confused about what to do,” explained MacArthur Justice Center Director Cliff Johnson. “What do we do with these situations? These folks are charged with crimes? Do we prosecute them and send them off to the prison, or is there some other path?”

It was enough of a problem that it was nearly another court battle.

“We thought about initially suing DMH and we went to the Attorney General’s Office, talked to them about what was going on,” explained Johnson. “They listened and recognized that Mississippi was not in a …