SJC Exchange Library

This report from the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law highlights how people with mental health disabilities—especially those who are also Black, Brown, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, or experiencing homelessness—are disproportionately arrested and jailed due to stigma, systemic discrimination, and a lack of adequate services. It advocates for replacing law enforcement with mental health professionals in crisis response, expanding access to community-based care, and investing in culturally responsive programs led by people with lived experience. The report features successful models from cities across the U.S. and underscores the need for civil rights–compliant, person-centered systems that prioritize care over incarceration.