On a typical day, thousands of homeless and mentally ill people are behind bars in Los Angeles County’s jails. But more than half of them would be good candidates to divert into housing with supportive services instead, according a new study from the Department of Health Services.
If enough housing and services were available, nearly 3,000 people in custody at any given time would be eligible for release — either before their trials or before finishing their sentences.
The study, released Monday, shows the potential to break the well-worn cycle of homelessness, incarceration and return to homelessness, said Peter Espinoza, a retired judge who heads the Office of Diversion and Reentry.
Three years ago, L.A. County created Espinoza’s office to oversee just such a diversion program for homeless inmates. Now there is momentum to expand it, but the details remain a work in progress.
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