MASHPEE – Cape and Islands District Attorney Rob Galibois joined Mashpee Select Board members this week to highlight a new addition to the local judicial system geared towards helping those struggling with behavioral health.
Officials approved a new Mental Health Specialty Session for the Barnstable District Court, which Galibois said brings experts into the courtroom to help defendants.
“They work with a struggling defendant before the court to try to identify what mental disorder or disease the person is dealing with. Then you can try to treat it. And when you try to treat it, of course you reduce recidivism, making us all safer,” said Galibois.
Cases from towns technically outside of the system but part of the Cape region can be transferred to the Barnstable District Court to benefit from the new initiative, said Galibois.
“While that may only serve on paper, at least at the moment, Sandwich, Barnstable and Yarmouth, I can let you know should cases arise in Falmouth or Orleans—and I believe Mashpee goes to the Falmouth District Court—those cases can in fact be transferred to the Barnstable District Court.”
He also emphasized a new data-driven approach at the district attorney’s office that is tracking info such as the ethnicity of those prosecuted, crimes, and bail amounts.
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