Multnomah County Jail Detainees in Mental Health Crisis Endure Solitary Confinement, Violence, and Deprivation

Mental Health Rights Project
Written By Jake Cornett

Our 2017 report A Merry Go Round that Never Stops: Mental Illness in the Multnomah County Detention Center advocated for better jail conditions and to redirect more people accused of low level offenses to healthcare and supports.  

Somewhere between 32 to 80 percent of the men and women who temporarily live in Multnomah County’s jail experience mental illness.

the results of OUR INVESTIGATION

The Multnomah County Detention Center improved conditions for inmates who experience mental health conditions by:

  • Expanding access to healthcare in the jail,

  • Curbing violence by correctional staff, and

  • Limiting solitary confinement.

Jake Cornett
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