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My Family Member Has Been Arrested
What Do I Do?
A step-by-step
guide to help families cope with the criminal justice system in Los Angeles
County when a family member who suffers from a brain disorder (mental illness)
is arrested.
STEP ONE: SUPPORT
YOUR RELATIVE
STEP TWO: CONTACT THE LOCAL JAIL
STEP THREE: COUNTY
JAIL INFORMATION
STEP FOUR: SEND
A FAX
STEP
FIVE: MENTAL HEALTH COURT PROGRAM
STEP SIX:
FAMILY ADVOCATE
STEP SEVEN: DECIDING ON
LEGAL REPRESENTATION
IMPORTANT
CONSIDERATIONS
STEP ONE: SUPPORT YOUR RELATIVE
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If your family
member/friend calls you and says that they have been arrested, help them stay
calm and let him/her know you are there to help. |
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If your relative is being
held in a City Jail remind him/her that they have a right to have an attorney
present if being questioned by police officers or detectives.
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If he/she is already at the Inmate
Reception Center at the downtown Los Angeles County Jail, he/she will be
screened for mental illness, as well as other health concerns, upon arrival.
It is very important that they be direct and honest to benefit as much as
possible from this screening process. Assure your family member that it is OK
to discuss his/her physical and mental condition, diagnosis, medications,
etc., with the staff conducting the screening, which includes Sheriff’s
nursing staff and Jail Mental Health Service staff. It is important your
family member feels safe to speak openly with the mental health screeners |
STEP TWO: CONTACT
THE LOCAL JAIL
| Call the local city jail (not the County Jail)
that is holding your family member and ask for the Watch Commander.
Inform him that your family member suffers from a mental illness and
describe the diagnosis and any other concerns you might have.
Inquire as to your relative’s status and estimated length of stay at
this facility. Ask if he/she is expected to be released directly
from the city jail. If he/she is going to be released directly from
the city jail (this sometimes occurs for minor offenses), ask for
the time and place so you can be there to pick them up. If your
relative is severely ill, ask if the city police could take him/her
to a psychiatric hospital for a “5150” involuntary three-day hold
for treatment and evaluation. |
| If your relative is not going to be released
directly from the city jail, ask that he/she be transferred as
quickly as possible to the County Jail. |
| Be sure to ask for the following
information: |
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(1) The
expected date and time of departure for the County Jail
(2) The
court arraignment date and address.
| Medication will
probably not be accessible until your relative arrives at County
Jail, but you might inquire if the holding facility can obtain
needed medications. |
STEP
THREE: COUNTY JAIL INFORMATION
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Upon arrival at the County Jail or
Twin Towers, call the Inmate Information Center at 213-473-6080 or
213-473-6100. Inquire as to your family member’s location (tower, floor and pod
number) and, most importantly, his/her booking number.
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NOTE: This information is
also readily
available on the internet at
www.lasd.org. Click on “LASD Services”, then “Inmate Information”.
Enter his/her complete legal name to bring up the booking number and note for future
reference.
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(Tip: Inmates are
sometimes booked in with/without middle name. If you are unable to locate
him/her, try any names your relative has used.)
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Go to the Los Angeles
Sheriff's Department Inmate
Information Center webpage
to access visiting hours, mailing address, and frequently asked questions.
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(Tip: When visiting
Twin Towers, always bring a few of quarters for a locker to store your personal
belongings. A personal ID is also required.)
STEP
FOUR: SEND A FAX
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Click
here to view the Inmate Medication form. It's a PDF file, so you will
have to have Adobe Acrobat installed. After printing out, fill out and fax in as
instructed below, using the form.
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If you don't have the form, follow these
instructions. Immediately prepare a fax
requesting that your relative be screened for placement in the mental health
unit. Head this fax withz:
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your relative’s full legal name
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date of
birth
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booking number
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location
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In the body of the fax include
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His/her diagnosis
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His/her psychiatrist’s name,
phone number, and address
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The medications that are prescribed for your
family member by name, dosage, and time of day to be administered.
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Whether a particular
medication has proven to be ineffective, or has dangerous and/or uncomfortable
side effects.
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Any history of suicide attempts or other
violent intentions in the recent past. Briefly describe the events that
occurred.
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Any other urgent medical conditions, apart
from mental illness, that might require immediate attention such as diabetes,
high blood pressure, seizures, heart problems, etc. and any medications
currently prescribed for those conditions. Include his/her medical
doctor’s name, address, and phone number for verification purposes. The
medical information you provide is tremendously valuable in making an assessment
and will help the mental health staff select the best treatment for your
relative. There is a clear preference for maintaining effective current
treatment. However, the Jail Mental Health staff must conduct its own
assessment of your relative’s condition and may not necessarily prescribe
exactly the same medications.
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IMPORTANT:
Do NOT address any impending charges against your family member in this fax.
Medical information only!
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Keep a copy of this fax for
future reference. If your family member is transferred to a different
facility you will need to fax this information again.
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| On the cover page, indicate whether your relative has provided
you with a written confidentiality waiver. If your relative has not
previously done so, ask that he/she be asked to sign one while in
jail. The Jail Mental Health staff is prohibited by law from giving
anyone information about a client’s status unless they have
the client’s consent, but the staff can receive information
from relatives or friends without the client’s consent. |
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Once your
relative has been booked, fax the document described in Step Four to appropriate
number below. Faxes
can be sent 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Men’s Fax
213-972-4002 Women’s
Fax
213-830-0906
| Please note that the Jail Mental Health
Service and the Sheriff’s Medical Services Bureau (MSB) are separate
departments. Important medical information should also be faxed to
the Sheriff’s MSB at 213-830-0681. |
| REMEMBER: If you are sending mental health
information only, please fax to the Men’s or Women’s fax number
(Jail Mental Health Service) above. If you are sending both mental
health and medical information, you must fax the information to the
Jail Mental Health Service number and the Sheriff’s Medical
Services Bureau number. |
STEP FIVE: MENTAL HEALTH COURT
PROGRAM
STEP
SIX: FAMILY ADVOCATE
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If you have any difficulty with this
process, call the Department of Mental Health Family Advocate at 213-637-2311
during regular business hours and ask for John Griffin or Dr. Louis Webb.
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Don’t forget to provide your family member’s
name, location, and booking number.
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STEP
SEVEN: DECIDING ON LEGAL REPRESENTATION
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Your family member may want
to retain a private attorney or use the Public Defenders Office. A Public
Defender will be assigned at arraignment if your relative does not have or
cannot afford a private attorney. Do not be afraid to use the Public
Defender. Public Defenders often have knowledge of the system as it
pertains to those who need mental health services.
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If your family member decides to retain a private
attorney, be sure to find one that is well versed in helping people with mental
illness and understands not only the law, but how to access the treatment
facilities and mental health services that are available.
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IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
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Bail.
Think carefully about posting bail for your family member. No one wants a loved
one to remain incarcerated for any length of time. It is an unpleasant
experience for them as well as the family. However, you must ask yourself the
following question. Will your family member be able to comply with the terms of
the bail and appear in court when required? Also, as hard as it may seem, jail
may be a safer place for a person with severe mental illness who is in crisis
rather than wandering the streets with no help at all. At least in jail they
will be fed, will have shelter, and be given access to medication treatments.
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Working with an attorney.
Public Defenders are extremely busy and do not have much time for phone calls.
They will appreciate written or faxed correspondence. Remember, it is the
inmate, not you, who is his client. A private attorney will give you more
time, but remember you are paying for that access. Provide the attorney
with an extensive medical/psychiatric/ social/educational history of your family
member. This written information will be very useful in pursuing the best
outcome for your loved one.
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Supporting and coping with a
loved one who suffers from a brain disorder can be challenging and stressful.
Knowledge, as well as your love and fortitude, will be key in helping you to
become a strong and effective support system for your family member. For
information about support groups and educational programs provided free of
charge in your area, contact
NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness)
at 213-413-1622 or at
www.namicalifornia.org to find out about a free meeting near you.
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This informational guide was written by NAMI volunteers
based on their own personal experience to help families navigate the system. We
are not attorneys, and this is not intended as a substitute for professional
legal advice. Please assist your family member in obtaining proper legal
representation.
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Copyright 2001 - AMI - All Rights
Reserved |
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