Should addicts, mentally ill get to avoid jail?

As leaders scramble for solutions to jail overcrowding and prisoners' skyrocketing medical costs, Tom Fallon is among those eager to try a new approach: Keeping people out of jail in the first the place -- especially those whose crimes are connected to their addiction or mental health issues. In the coming months, Hamilton County is expected to hire a contractor to explore the creation of a pre-arrest diversion initiative. Such programs offer addiction treatment and behavioral and mental health services to low-level offenders in lieu of any jail time.