Hundreds of people who should be housed in state mental health facilities because they've been declared incompetent for trial are instead being held in county jails, a problem that continues to vex state officials.
More than 380 men and women are in county lockups, sometimes for months at a time, because there aren't enough beds available at state mental hospitals.
The Dallas Morning News reports (http://bit.ly/1SDjwk0 ) that as of April 1 the average wait for a maximum-security bed — reserved for those charged with serious violent crimes — was 122 days.
A state judge previously ordered wait times be cut to no more than 21 days, but the ruling was later tossed by an appeals court on a technicality.
State health officials say there are only 1,047 beds statewide reserved for inmates.
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This story has been corrected to reflect that judge's order was later overturned by appeals court.
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Information from: The Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com
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