1. PressRelease forOctober15, 2015
The UnitedStatesis home tolessthan5% of the world’spopulation,yetitisthe world'sleaderin
incarcerationwith2.2 millionpeoplecurrentlyinthe nation'sprisonsorjails.Incarcerationrateshave
risen500% inthe past 30 years,and criminal justice reformhasbecome abipartisanissueinthe U.S.
Congressandall state legislatures.Inaddition,thereare three timesmore seriouslymentallyill persons
injailsandprisonsthan inhospitalsinthe UnitedStates.Proposedcausesof thisoverrepresentation
include the deinstitutionalizationof mentallyillindividualsinthe mid-twentiethcentury;inadequate
communitymental healthtreatmentresources;andthe criminalizationof mental illnessitself.
Jointhe League of WomenVotersof Wheatonon Thursday,October15th, 2015 to learnmore about
“The Criminalizationof Mental Illness.”Ourpanelistswill be Jeff LatafromDuPage CountyHealth
Department,JeanSolonfromDuPage CountyProbationDepartment,andJeff York,the Chief Public
Defenderof DuPage County.
The eventwill be atthe WheatonPark DistrictCommunityCenter,1777 S.Blanchard Road,Wheaton.
There will be ameetand greetat 7:00 PM, andthe programwill beginat7:30 PM. The eventisfree and
opento the public.