Uncarcerated
By Leigh Scott
POSTER PLACEHOLDER
Too many people experiencing grief, trauma, addiction, homelessness, or mental health crises are pulled deeper into the criminal legal system instead of connected to care.
That approach harms individuals, families, and communities.
Behavioral health crises should not become pathways to incarceration.
Communities deserve systems that prioritize healing over punishment.
When people experience a behavioral health crisis, they deserve care — not handcuffs.
Leigh Scott's film, Uncarcerated, explores the dangerous reality that too many people in crisis are met first by law enforcement instead of trained mental health professionals.
After the devastating loss of his wife and daughter, Leigh experienced a mental health crisis that led to incarceration rather than support. Today, as a social worker and advocate, he is fighting for a different approach — one rooted in dignity, compassion, and community care.
This film asks a critical question: What would happen if we treated mental health crises as public health issues instead of criminal justice issues?
Through personal storytelling and examples of innovative crisis response programs across the country, Uncarcerated explores how communities can respond to crisis with care instead of punishment.
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Issue Area: Alternatives to Incarceration
About the Issue
Every day, people experiencing mental health crises, substance use emergencies, homelessness, and profound grief encounter systems built to control them rather than care for them.
Too often, a call for help becomes a police response.
What should be a healthcare issue becomes a criminal justice issue.
What should be a pathway to healing becomes a pathway to incarceration.
The consequences are real.
People experiencing mental health challenges are 16 times more likely to be killed during a police encounter than other civilians. [Cite]
Nearly 60% of people in U.S. jails and prisons have a substance use disorder, and approximately 44% have a history of mental illness. [Cite] [Cite]
In 44 states, the largest mental health facility is not a hospital—it's a jail or prison. [Cite]
Even when mental health needs are identified, an estimated 63% of incarcerated people with mental health challenges receive no treatment while behind bars. [Cite]
Across the country, communities are proving there is another way.
Alternative first responder programs connect people in crisis with trained clinicians, peer specialists, and support services instead of relying solely on law enforcement. These approaches help people access care earlier, reduce unnecessary incarceration, and create healthier communities.
These models recognize a simple truth:
People in crisis deserve care—not cages.
Uncarcerated invites audiences to imagine a future where healing comes first.
Take Action
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Stand for Choice in Recovery
Support filmmaker John Medina's efforts to help protect choice, dignity, and inclusion in recovery by signing the AB 255 advocacy letter.
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Let Us Know What You Think
Just watched The Cure Complex? We want to hear from you! Your input will influence how we approach future stories like this one.
Host A Screening
Bring Uncarcerated to your campus, organization, coalition, faith community, conference, or community event to spark conversations about mental health, public safety, and community care.
Screenings help communities challenge stigma, rethink how we respond to crisis, and build support for solutions that prioritize healing over punishment. Because a badge is not a substitute for a bed. A holster is not a substitute for a heart. And a jail cell is not a substitute for treatment.
Interested in hosting a screening, panel, or community conversation featuring Leigh Scott and local advocates?