Jailing the Mentally Ill, Part 4: Saint Peter, locked up and mentally ill

Types | Documentaries | Special Collections | Minnesota Police | Grants | Legacy Amendment Digitization (2016-2017) |
Listen: Jailing the Mentally Ill, Part 4: Saint Peter, locked up and mentally ill
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The Justice Department estimates that 16% of all inmates in the United States have psychiatric problems. In this last installment of our series on mentally ill criminals, we look at the place where many advocates for the mentally ill say that the such criminals should be...a hospital. The Minnesota State Security hospital in Saint Peter acts as like a prison - patients must stay within the hospital grounds without special permission- AND a treatment center. Of the 350 patients.the majority carry the label "mentally ill and dangerous". They are the criminals who pose a significant threat to themselves or others AND have a severe mental affliction. Only about 18 to 20 people a year in Minnesota receive this designation, even though many more of the state's incarcerated population are also mentally ill. The hospital is not only better at treating the mentally ill than prison programs, it also better protects public safety. American RadioWorks' Stephanie Curtis reports.

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In 2008, Minnesota's voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution: to protect drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve arts and cultural heritage; to support parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater.

Efforts to digitize this initial assortment of thousands of historical audio material was made possible through the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. A wide range of Minnesota subject matter is represented within this collection.

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