A record number of Missourians are stuck waiting in jail for court-ordered mental health care
St. Louis on the Air · St. Louis Public Radio
January 29, 202517m 32s
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Show Notes
Missouri's yearslong failure to connect criminal defendants with mental health treatment is only getting worse. More than 400 Missourians are languishing in jail as they wait to be placed into court-ordered psychiatric treatment. That's up from around 300 at this time last year. Missouri Independent reporter Clara Bates has been investigating the issue — her latest piece reveals that some defendants have been forced to wait longer than even their maximum possible sentence for their crimes. Many are placed in solitary confinement. We also hear from attorney and social worker Annie Legomsky, who represents clients waiting for treatment in Missouri jails.