California's county jails have become the de-facto treatment provider for people struggling with mental illness and addiction. At least a third of inmates suffer from some kind of mental disorder. Those battling drug or alcohol abuse are much higher. But most lockups in California lack the staff and facilities to properly treat them. One indication of the problem is a spike of inmate suicides. In 2010, California jails reported 31 inmate suicides. Last year 38 people killed themselves while in custody. There's one place where the problem is most acute: San Diego County.
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