Differential Incarceration by Race-Ethnicity and Mental Health Service Status in the Los Angeles County Jail System

What is it about?

The Los Angeles County Jail System is also the largest provider of mental health services in California. As the County's Board of Supervisors considers how to allocate funding previously intended to build new jails, it is critical to understand the demographics of the jail's mental health population. In analyzing this sample, the authors found significantly more black, more white, and fewer Hispanic people relative to the overall jail population. Additionally, significantly fewer people in the mental health population were charged with a felony. The findings indicate that, when diverting those with mental illness out of LA County Jails, diversion of black people and those charged with misdemeanors should be prioritized.

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Photo by Emiliano Bar on Unsplash

Photo by Emiliano Bar on Unsplash