Los Angeles County Mental Health Court Reports 300% Increase In Competency Cases From 2010 To 2015

Between 2010 and 2015, the Los Angeles mental health court reported that the number of competency cases annually tripled, from 944 in 2010 to over 3,500 in 2015. District Attorney Jackie Lacey, who supports diverting offenders with mental illness from county jails, said the increase “is a sign that we urgently need to embrace the mental health diversion program.” Head Deputy Public Defender at the mental health court, Verah Bradford, said the increase could represent a “convergence of issues” such as increasing awareness of mental illness among attorneys and judges and a rise in the number of homeless individuals . . .