Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions - S. 1194

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

By Mr. DEWINE (for himself, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. GRASSLEY, Ms. CANTWELL, and Mr. DOMENICI):

    S. 1194. A bill to foster local collaborations which will ensure that resources are effectively and efficiently used within the criminal and juvenile justice systems; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

    Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I am pleased today to be once again introducing with Senator DEWINE the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2003. This bipartisan bill authorizes the Attorney General to administer a grant program to assist communities in planning and implementing services for mentally ill offenders. These grants will increase public safety by fostering collaborative efforts by criminal justice, mental health, and substance abuse agencies. I have seen these types of collaborative programs work in Iowa and I know that they can work elsewhere.

    We have an obligation to ensure that the public is protected from these offenders who suffer from mental illness. The Bureau of Justice Statistics has reported that over 16 percent of adults incarcerated in U.S. jails and prison have a mental illness. In addition, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has reported that over 20 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have serious mental health problems. This grant program will help increase public safety, as well as reduce the number of mentally ill adults and juveniles incarcerated in correctional facilities.

    These grant dollars may be used by States and localities to establish mental health courts or other diversion programs, create or expand community-based treatment programs, provide in-jail treatment and transitional services, and for training of criminal justice and mental health system employees. The state of Iowa and a number of its counties are already leading the way in finding creative and collaborative programs to address the problems presented by these mentally ill criminals. Working together, the criminal justice, mental health, and substance abuse professionals can make a difference in the lives of this special class of offenders and also increase the safety of the public.

    I want to thank Senator DEWINE for his leadership on this important issue. He has drafted a bill that reflects a common sense approach to a serious public safety issue. I also want to encourage my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.