Stranger Than Most

By  SUSAN LAUTZ

The front page of the Dallas Morning News trumpeted (again) the deplorable lack of beds for patients with mental illness, especially  those who have committed serious crimes. With no space for them in “forensic mental institutions”, these prisoners languish in regular jail for months with only rudimentary treatment for their disorders. More and more we task police officers and prison guards with the “care” for our mentally ill as hospitals close and funding dries up. And you don’t need to be caught wielding a machete to be affected. A typical traffic stop might reveal an unpaid ticket you forgot about and off you go to jail. Even if you bring your medications with you in the original bottles, chances are good you won’t get them. 

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