Mentally ill people are languishing in jail. Pierce judge blames state, issues fines

Jan. 5—A Pierce County judge has heaped thousands in fines on Washington's Department of Social and Health Services for its continued failure to get jail inmates into court-ordered mental health treatment by deadlines mandated in a federal class action settlement, which already has the state racking up millions in sanctions.

The court orders, which the state appealed in November before they were finalized this week, follow a September motion by Pierce County to intervene in about three dozen cases stuck in limbo pending a defendant's mental competency restoration. County officials argued the state should reimburse jail costs for inmates whose court-ordered transfers to state facilities had been delayed for months.

"This is another example of the state offloading its responsibilities and passing its costs down to the counties," county Prosecuting Attorney's Office spokesperson Adam Faber wrote in a statement. "There's a lot more going on here than just questions about money. This is about justice for defendants and victims, it's about court efficiency, and it's about jail capacity, among other issues."

King County, which has the largest superior court in the state, moved for similar contempt orders in several cases in late November, the Seattle Times reported. Pierce County has the second-largest superior court, with 23 judges and 10 commissioners.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/mentally-ill-people-are-languishing-in-jail-pierce-judge-blames-state-issues-fines/ar-AA160LZf