A recent discussion at the county commissioner’s meeting illustrates the need for alternative sentencing of mentally ill and addicted persons to rehabilitation and treatment. It is crazy to park them in jail, and it’s expensive.

On Dec. 10, the Hancock County commissioners were asked to approve an $11,000 overdraft in the jail’s medical, surgical and dental account. Our jail is being used to house people with serious mental illness and addictions to drugs and alcohol. Their medical expenses are going through the roof. It is unfair to expect overworked and underpaid jail officers to be psychiatric nurses or therapists for drug and alcohol-dependent people. As Sheriff Clark said, some prisoners with bipolar or schizo-effective mood disorders “require psychotropic medications that are terribly expensive, sometimes more than $200 or $300 a week.”

Commissioner Percy Brown has the right answer. He said, “We really need to look at alternative sentencing.” Commissioner Shea said, “A few years ago, these people would be in Bangor Mental Health Institute. Today, they’re in our jail.”

Sheriff Clark agreed, saying ” We don’t have the facilities to treat mental health problems, but that’s what we’re trying to do. The majority of people under that kind of care are here not because they committed some terrible crime, but because they have no place else to go.”

Hancock County courts should practice alternative sentencing.

George Swanson

Manset