Criminalizing mental illness

Re Justice system punishes mental illness, Aug. 16 The recent report by the John Howard Society echoes the 2011 statement of the Ontario Chiefs of Police that the failure to invest in community mental health services forces police and other justice services to provide responses to mental health crises.

In 2005, the Ontario government invested $50 million in mental health and justice services. There have been no major investments since then. As a result, safe beds are full, more than 1,000 people are waiting to access mental-health and justice housing in Toronto and there continue to be challenges accessing psychiatrists and other mental health services.

Until the government makes a policy and funding commitment to increase the mental-health share of health spending to 9 per cent (from the current 5 per cent) as recommended by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the justice system will continue to act as a default mental-health service with tragic results. Steve Lurie, executive director and chair, Toronto Human Service and Justice Committee CMHA, Toronto

Yes, jails, and especially solitary confinement, are horrific places for those with serious mental illness. From their first contact with police, the mentally ill are especially at risk if they are black or aboriginal, have a poor command of the English language and, may it be added, if they are physically large and imposing in appearance.

Should they access any type of weapon, from a stapler, a knife or a hammer, to, heaven forbid, anything that looks like a firearm, they are much more likely to wind up being Tasered, even shot (Robert Dziekanski, Sammy Yatim and Andrew Loku come to mind). Ron Charach, Toronto