Think Out Loud

If a person charged with a crime is too mentally ill to aid in their own defense, the state must provide them with enough treatment to get them ready for trial. This can be done at the county level, or a judge can send defendants to the overcrowded state hospital. A new investigation in the Eugene Weekly found that Lane County sends more people to Oregon State Hospital, and that the numbers have been increasing. Reporters Gina Scalpone and Emily Goodykoontz tell us about the impacts of this system.