Brittany Hailer | Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism

Rachel Bridgeman spent 49 days in Allegheny County Jail waiting for treatment at a state hospital because a court found her incompetent to stand trial. In that time, her mental health deteriorated and she began to bang her head, causing bruising.

Determining if someone is mentally fit for trial in Pa. often traps them in someplace worse — jail

A Spotlight PA/PINJ investigation found few state hospital beds for those with severe mental illness, ill-equipped jails, and a system so broken some defense attorneys avoid it entirely.

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania’s ruling in Commonwealth v. Jquan Humphrey cleared the way for judges to dismiss charges against defendants who would never be competent to participate in their own trial.

Courts & Justice

Judges in Pa. can now dismiss charges against people ‘incompetent’ to stand trial, but flaws remain

Danielle Ohl | Spotlight PA

The state Supreme Court closed a decades-old legal loophole that kept people who would never be competent to stand trial on criminal charges in jail or prison indefinitely.

Survey responses from more than 20 Pennsylvania jails described a growing number of incarcerated people with serious mental health needs, a lack of medical staff, and a complex system for accessing state resources.

Courts & Justice

Jail officials across Pa. sound alarm as mental health crisis puts people at risk, survey finds

Brittany Hailer | Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism

A statewide survey of county jails by Spotlight PA and the Pittsburgh Institute for Nonprofit Journalism revealed many facilities admit they are not equipped for the growing mental health crisis.