The review supports the common opinion that since the deinstitutionalization of large numbers of persons previously housed in mental hospitals, U.S. jails have housed greater numbers of the mentally ill. Even though mental illness per se is not synonymous with violence-prone behavior, the percentage of mentally ill persons in the jails is growing. Their offenses are usually misdemeanors prompted by impulsivity. Chronic schizophrenics compose a high percentage of jail inmates, together with defendants that have antisocial personality disorder with polysubstance abuse or cocaine intoxication. The authors argue that a moral community that provides improved social integration and stronger bonds among people will put a stop to a cyclical return to an era when the mentally ill were managed by the criminal justice system. Unified care management of the mentally ill through cooperation between mental health professionals and criminal justice professionals is required. 35 references