Autism and Solitary

Maureen Del Duca, a lawyer with two adult sons who are severely autistic, described Latson's situation as a "never-ending downward spiral of completely avoidable charges of criminal assault." When one of her sons lived at the Florida facility that agreed to take Latson, the young man's violent actions -- biting or attacking staff members -- were a routine behavior to be handled, not a criminal infraction, she noted.

He "could easily be in Reginald's position ... tragically entangled in a criminal justice system that is not yet able to deal appropriately" with him, Del Duca wrote to the judge hearing Latson's case.

The differences between the two men are as obvious as they are jarring: race, for one; resources, for another.

Latson's case is an individual tragedy that cries out for remedy -- Gov. McAuliffe, are you listening? It is also sadly representative of a criminal justice system poorly equipped to deal with issues of mental illness and developmental disability.

It is maddening for Latson to be trapped in solitary confinement when there is a safe, therapeutic alternative available; indeed, that neglect may violate Virginia's commitments in settling a U.S. Department of Justice civil rights lawsuit on behalf of those with developmental disabilities. McAuliffe should employ his authority to ensure Latson's transfer to the Florida facility, where the public would be safe and he would receive treatment, not futile punishment.

"It verges on bizarre to instead lock Neli in an isolation cell at substantial taxpayer expense with the medical certainty that he will eventually emerge worse instead of better," his lawyers told McAuliffe.

Latson's is a sad case. Unfortunately, it is not an isolated one. The criminal justice system must rethink how it deals with the mentally ill and developmentally disabled. And it must do more than rethink -- it must halt -- the use of solitary confinement in all but the most extreme circumstances.

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Ruth Marcus' email address is ruthmarcus@washpost.com.