Robert Goldsmith, Sheriff of the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office, has highlighted a critical issue facing jails: the shortage of mental health hospital beds. “A shortage of mental health hospital beds is straining jails as they become de facto mental health facilities,” he said in a radio interview.
“The jail is not the best place for people that are mentally ill,” said Goldsmith. “Being mentally ill is not a crime. A lot of those lower-level offenses, maybe they should go to a mental health facility. Their mental health is still going—it’s bad.”
Indiana faces a significant shortfall in psychiatric beds, with only 11.9 beds available per 100,000 residents. This figure falls well below the recommended 50 beds per 100,000 needed for adequate care. The National Criminal Justice Association states that this deficiency leads to jails becoming default mental health facilities, as individuals with mental illnesses are often incarcerated due to the lack of appropriate treatment options. The association emphasizes that Indiana must address this shortage to prevent the criminalization of mental illness.
According to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, untreated mental illness in Indiana incurs substantial economic costs, estimated at $4.2 billion annually. These expenses encompass emergency services, law enforcement activities, and lost productivity. The Chronicle suggests that investing in mental health infrastructure could mitigate these costs and improve outcomes for those with mental health conditions.
The Indiana University School of Medicine’s Bowen Center reports that all 92 counties in Indiana are designated as areas with a shortage of mental health professionals. This statewide deficiency exacerbates challenges for individuals seeking care, often resulting in delayed or inadequate treatment.
Goldsmith, a Lafayette native and 1991 graduate of Lafayette Jefferson High School, has been involved in law enforcement since 1997 and currently leads the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office. A former detective and lieutenant specializing in criminal investigations and computer forensics, he was elected sheriff in 2018.
