Detailed Summary

Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to increase the authorization of appropriations for the grant program for adult and juvenile collaboration for access to adequate mental health treatment and to extend such funding through FY2014. Directs the Attorney General to give priority to grant applications that promote effective strategies to identify and treat mentally-ill offenders and meet other criteria.

(Sec. 4) Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to states, local governments, Indian tribes and tribal organizations for training programs and other services to assist law enforcement officers and campus security personnel in responding appropriately to incidents involving mentally-ill individuals. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2014.

(Sec. 5) Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to states, local governments, Indian tribes and tribal organizations to provide services to female offenders with a mental illness, including mental health treatment, intensive case management services, and family support services. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2014.

(Sec. 6) Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to states, local governments, Indian tribes and tribal organizations to provide services for mentally-ill offenders, including: (1) assistance to correctional facilities for identifying mentally-ill offenders and for providing treatment plans for them; (2) local task forces to assist such offenders in reentry into the community; (3) housing options for such offenders; (4) development of community crisis services; and (5) links with local community mental health providers for assisting mentally-ill offenders with services prior to release from a correctional facility. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2014.

(Sec. 7) Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to assist states, local governments, territories, and Indian tribes in planning and coordinating treatment programs for offenders with mental illnesses. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2013.

(Sec. 8) Reauthorizes the mental health courts grant program for FY2008-FY2014. Expands the permissible uses of grant funds to include pre-trial services and programs to provide alternatives to incarceration for offenders with mental illnesses.

(Sec. 9) Directs the Attorney General to provide for a study of the rate of occurrence of serious mental illnesses in individuals (including juveniles) on probation, incarcerated in a jail or prison, or on parole. Requires such study to identify the percentage of individuals with serious mental illnesses who, at the time of arrest, were eligible to receive social security disability or Medicaid benefits or who were homeless.

Requires the Attorney General to submit a report to Congress on such study within 18 months after the enactment of this Act.

Authorizes appropriations for FY2009 to carry out such study.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 1/24/2008: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Points in Favor

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Points Against

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