![The Broken System: Lane County ships the homeless and mentally ill to the state hospital without a trial The Broken System: Lane County ships the homeless and mentally ill to the state hospital without a trial](http://www.eugeneweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/20190919coverstory-lead.jpg)
The Broken System: Lane County ships the homeless and mentally ill to the state hospital without a trial
by Gina Scalpone and Emily Goodykoontz
Increases in substance use and mental illness among the homeless are not unique to this area — other cities are facing the same challenge. However, our findings raise a serious question: Why has Eugene and Lane County been sending more and more defendants to the state hospital and doing so at such an alarming rate?