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Jail vs. Mental Institution

2,217 views · Published 8 May 2013 · 2:43 · Indexed 23 October 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2013 · News & Politics

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by John Madewell  Eight people lost their apartments when a Red Bank complex went up in flames overnight Wednesday.According to police, it was a case of aggravated arson. Red Bank police chief Tim Christol said 21-year-old Rebecca Pendergrass set the fire inside her bedroom in downstairs unit #2.Chief Tim Christol described Pendergrass as a mental health consumer.The chief said she told them she wanted to set a fire -- but should she go to jail?NewsChannel 9 reached out to Moccasin Bend Mental Institute. CEO Bill Ventress spoke to us in general terms. Ventress said, If an individual is not exhibiting harm to themselves or others and is able to care for themselves and other criteria that would be met, then, if they break the law they certainly need to follow the laws of the land and if it warrants incarceration, they should be incarcerated.And he stressed looking at each case individually.Here's what we know about Pendergrass.She lived alone in her apartment.According to landlord Don Bishop, her mother and grandmother used to be in the two closest apartments, but both moved out.We don't know when that happened or Pendergrass'specific mental diagnosis.But a check of court records doesn't show any appearances.So in general, when should the mentally ill not live alone? Ventress said, Everyone has their right to be able to  live their life the  way they want to live it. If over time a person has been admitted to the hospital five or six, seven eight times and they keep getting readmitted for the same kinds of thing, which might be say a combination of  let's say substance abuse and/or mental illness, which might warrant closer supervision.Donna Maddox, the director of Johnson Mental Health,  said 35 to 40 percent of jail inmates have mental and/or substance abuse issues. Moccasin Bend has a capacity of 150 beds and typically stays at or near Meanwhile, Pendergrass remains in custody at Silverdale on a $250,000 bond. There are organizations in place in Hamilton County to deal with these potentially volatile situations, like Johnson Mental Health.In 2009, Hamilton County government partnered with Johnson. The organization began teaching law enforcement officers in crisis intervention training.And Red Bank has an officer trained to identify mental symptoms and help calm a crisis situation.    On Wednesday night, she was not called out.Chief Christol said that's because there was no crisis event.

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