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Indianapolis officials expand diversion program for hospital arrests
Public defenders and prosecutors in Marion County are redirecting individuals arrested at medical facilities into treatment and housing programs rather than jail.
The short version
- Marion County public defenders and prosecutors are directing individuals arrested for low-level misdemeanors at Indianapolis hospitals into the county's Quality of Life diversion program.
- Participants can have their criminal charges dismissed if they complete mental health or substance abuse treatment or secure housing.
- The initiative follows concerns over arrests of vulnerable patients by independent hospital police forces operating across four major health systems.
- Public defenders have begun independently tracking hospital arrests and are advocating for broader body camera adoption among hospital police.
Key facts
- Marion County public defenders and prosecutors are utilizing the pre-existing Quality of Life diversion program to keep individuals arrested at local hospitals from facing jail time for low-level misdemeanors.[Associated Press]
- Criminal charges are dismissed for diversion participants who successfully obtain housing or complete substance abuse or mental health treatment.[Associated Press]
- Four major Indianapolis hospital systems—Eskenazi Health, IU Health, Ascension St. Vincent, and Community Health Network—operate independent police forces.[Associated Press]
- Private hospital police departments in Indiana are exempt from state public records laws, and three private systems declined to release arrest data.[Associated Press]
- Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal supported using the diversion program and previously discontinued a partnership with Eskenazi Health's police department.[Associated Press]
- Hospital representatives cited concerns over rising workplace violence and patient privacy regarding the full implementation of police body cameras.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The full volume of arrests across Indianapolis hospital systems remains unclear because private hospital police forces are not required to disclose public records, and systems have not systematically tracked post-arrest case outcomes.[Associated Press]
- Whether hospital police departments will adopt standardized body camera requirements remains unresolved amid hospital privacy concerns.[Associated Press]