The Role of Mental Health Assessments in the Judicial System
Mental illness affects a significant portion of the population, and it’s not uncommon for individuals with mental health issues to end up in the criminal justice system. However, the criminal justice system does not always know how to deal appropriately with these cases. Often, judges and attorneys lack the expertise to assess and treat mental health conditions effectively. This is where mental health evaluations come in.

Mental health assessments can provide important information about an individual’s mental state, including any underlying mental health disorders, trauma, or substance use issues that may have contributed to their behavior. Licensed mental health professionals conduct these assessments; they are trained to identify and diagnose a range of mental health disorders.

With this information, judges and attorneys can make more informed decisions about a given case's best course of action. For example, suppose a court finds a defendant to have a severe mental health disorder. In that case, the judge may reduce their guilt, and recommend they go into treatment rather than incarceration. They may also be placed in a specialized mental health court to receive the support and treatment they need to manage their condition and avoid future criminal behavior.

Mental health assessments can also be helpful in cases where a defendant is found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI). In these cases, a mental health assessment can help determine whether the defendant is a danger to themselves or others and whether they require treatment or hospitalization. A judge may also order a follow-up evaluation to determine when or if the individual is fit to return to society.

If you or a loved one has a mental disability and has been arrested or convicted of a crime, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side. Elizabeth Kelley specializes in representing individuals with mental disabilities like autism, bipolar disorder, and dimentia. To schedule a consultation call (509) 991-7058.
Mental Disability and the Criminal Justice System
A podcast which provides information - and hope - to people with mental disabilities ensnared in the criminal justice system, as well as to their families and attorneys.
In The News
Sarah Huckabee Sanders denies clemency to Charlie Vaughn

I have an unfortunate update on Charlie Vaughn, the Arkansas man who has spent the last 30 years in prison for a crime he almost certainly did not commit.

 I published a long investigation into Vaughn’s case just over a year ago to kick off this newsletter.
A couple weeks ago, I reached out to Stuart Chanen, Vaughn’s attorney, to catch up on the case.

Chanen and I finally connected yesterday. He told me that over the summer, he had sent Vaughn’s clemency petition to Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
It did not go well. But before I get to that, here are some of the key points from Vaughn’s case:
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When Javier Ortiz came home from a secret mission in Syria, the ghost of a dead girl appeared to him in his kitchen. She was pale and covered in chalky dust, as if hit by an explosion, and her eyes stared at him with a glare as dark and heavy as oil.

The 21-year-old Marine was part of an artillery gun crew that fought against the Islamic State, and he knew that his unit’s huge cannons had killed hundreds of enemy fighters. The ghost, he was sure, was their revenge.
Being Michelle


BEING MICHELLE follows the astonishing journey of a deaf and disabled woman who survived incarceration and abuse under unimaginable circumstances by a system that refused to accommodate her needs as a deaf person with autism.

Michelle’s trajectory changed when she met Kim Law, a blind volunteer life coach who teaches classes to people in prison. Today, outside of prison, Kim and Michelle are doing the difficult work of unraveling Michelle’s history, of telling the story of Michelle’s traumatic childhood and her adverse experiences in the criminal justice system. With the support of Kim, Michelle realizes her own voice and strength. Throughout the film Michelle’s artwork provides her own depiction of the trauma she survived as well as a means to her recovery.

I was forced into the psych ward as a teen. Now I’m teaching police officers how to respond to mental health calls


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It is hard to describe the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment I feel when I have a chance to speak to influential groups about my illness. One of my happiest memories of the past few years was running into a constable who recognized me from one of these talks and said to me, “I just want to thank you. Just today I have had two mental health calls and what you taught me when you came to my class was invaluable.”
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It’s easy to look at a terrible situation created by humans and seek to separate ourselves from the extreme and vocal fringes who may engage in violence in the attempt to make a point. To drive home the desired separation, we resort to labels keeping them on their side and us on ours. Maybe we dismiss those folks with the label of an opposing political party. Maybe with a disparaging racial slur. Or maybe with an uninformed and undiagnosed mental illness.
Mass shootings can affect kids' mental health. Here are some ways to respond.


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Professionals recommend limiting, or at least closely monitoring, kids’ media consumption. But it’s also important for adults to monitor their own reactions.

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