Judge Steven Leifman

In really bad American fashion, We punish them when it's not their fault. And we need to set up a better system of care so that people don't end up in the criminal justice system that was never designed for people with these illnesses.

In really bad American fashion, We punish them when it's not their fault. And we need to set up a better system of care so that people don't end up in the criminal justice system that was never designed for people with these illnesses.

If you do that, you get much better outcomes, you improve your public safety, you save tremendous tax dollars, and you give people an opportunity to have a life of hope and recovery. And I think that should be the ultimate goal for every one of us in our society. Why else do what we do? I would tell you it's been the honor of my life to be a judge for almost 30 years.

If you do that, you get much better outcomes, you improve your public safety, you save tremendous tax dollars, and you give people an opportunity to have a life of hope and recovery. And I think that should be the ultimate goal for every one of us in our society. Why else do what we do? I would tell you it's been the honor of my life to be a judge for almost 30 years.

If you do that, you get much better outcomes, you improve your public safety, you save tremendous tax dollars, and you give people an opportunity to have a life of hope and recovery. And I think that should be the ultimate goal for every one of us in our society. Why else do what we do? I would tell you it's been the honor of my life to be a judge for almost 30 years.

It afforded me an opportunity to make change that I probably never could have done as a legislator or someone in the executive branch. And it's because in many ways we're first responders like law enforcement. We're on the front line seeing this population come in every day. And we don't have to stand for something that's not working. Our job is to do our best to administer justice.

It afforded me an opportunity to make change that I probably never could have done as a legislator or someone in the executive branch. And it's because in many ways we're first responders like law enforcement. We're on the front line seeing this population come in every day. And we don't have to stand for something that's not working. Our job is to do our best to administer justice.

It afforded me an opportunity to make change that I probably never could have done as a legislator or someone in the executive branch. And it's because in many ways we're first responders like law enforcement. We're on the front line seeing this population come in every day. And we don't have to stand for something that's not working. Our job is to do our best to administer justice.

And that doesn't mean just punishing people. It means figuring out why they're in the system and what can we do to keep them from ever coming back. One of the things that most people don't know is that trauma plays a significant role in triggering serious mental illness. We know today that we didn't know just 20 years ago

And that doesn't mean just punishing people. It means figuring out why they're in the system and what can we do to keep them from ever coming back. One of the things that most people don't know is that trauma plays a significant role in triggering serious mental illness. We know today that we didn't know just 20 years ago

And that doesn't mean just punishing people. It means figuring out why they're in the system and what can we do to keep them from ever coming back. One of the things that most people don't know is that trauma plays a significant role in triggering serious mental illness. We know today that we didn't know just 20 years ago

said about 92% of the women who are in jail and prisons in the United States with serious mental illnesses have horrific histories of trauma, mostly sexual abuse. And that sexual abuse occurs when they're quite young, five, six, seven years old. And about 75% of men who are in jail and prison with serious mental illnesses also have horrific histories with trauma.

said about 92% of the women who are in jail and prisons in the United States with serious mental illnesses have horrific histories of trauma, mostly sexual abuse. And that sexual abuse occurs when they're quite young, five, six, seven years old. And about 75% of men who are in jail and prison with serious mental illnesses also have horrific histories with trauma.

said about 92% of the women who are in jail and prisons in the United States with serious mental illnesses have horrific histories of trauma, mostly sexual abuse. And that sexual abuse occurs when they're quite young, five, six, seven years old. And about 75% of men who are in jail and prison with serious mental illnesses also have horrific histories with trauma.

Sometimes it's sexual abuse, more likely they've been victims of long-term domestic violence, or they've been witnesses to violent crimes like a soldier might see in combat. We know today that trauma is not an emotional response but physiological. Without getting people treated after they've gone through this kind of trauma, the chances are by a huge percentage

Sometimes it's sexual abuse, more likely they've been victims of long-term domestic violence, or they've been witnesses to violent crimes like a soldier might see in combat. We know today that trauma is not an emotional response but physiological. Without getting people treated after they've gone through this kind of trauma, the chances are by a huge percentage

Sometimes it's sexual abuse, more likely they've been victims of long-term domestic violence, or they've been witnesses to violent crimes like a soldier might see in combat. We know today that trauma is not an emotional response but physiological. Without getting people treated after they've gone through this kind of trauma, the chances are by a huge percentage

that they're going to end up with a substance use disorder and or a mental health disorder. And we need to get ahead of that. We need to be using tools to assess kids in elementary school to see if they have histories of trauma. And if they do, make sure we're getting them treated quickly. Because if we had done that here, even in Miami, we weren't aware of trauma when we started.

that they're going to end up with a substance use disorder and or a mental health disorder. And we need to get ahead of that. We need to be using tools to assess kids in elementary school to see if they have histories of trauma. And if they do, make sure we're getting them treated quickly. Because if we had done that here, even in Miami, we weren't aware of trauma when we started.

that they're going to end up with a substance use disorder and or a mental health disorder. And we need to get ahead of that. We need to be using tools to assess kids in elementary school to see if they have histories of trauma. And if they do, make sure we're getting them treated quickly. Because if we had done that here, even in Miami, we weren't aware of trauma when we started.