Criminally ill: Systemic failures turn state mental hospitals into prisons

In Ohio, the share of state hospital patients with criminal charges jumped from about half in 2002 to around 90% today. The surge has coincided with a steep decline in total state psychiatric hospital patients served, down 50% in Ohio in the past decade, from 6,809 to 3,421, according to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. During that time, total patients served nationwide dropped about 17%, from 139,434 to 116,320, with state approaches varying widely, from adding community services and building more beds to closing hospitals. Above: Heartland Behavioral Healthcare in Massillon, Ohio