NC legislators examine issue of people with mental illness arrested for nonviolent crimes

By: Lynn Bonner

Outlets: North Carolina Newsline

Published: February 10, 2026

Words: 470

Last Updated: 1 week, 4 days ago

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Little prevents people who are accused of low-level, nonviolent crimes but are released from custody because of mental illness from being charged again and again with the same offenses, a district attorneys’ representative told state lawmakers Tuesday.

Speaking to the House Select Committee on Involuntary Commitment and Public Safety, Lisa Coltrain from the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys described what happens when a judge determines that defendants’ mental illnesses prevent them from understanding court …

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