MIAMI -- A Miami-Dade grand jury "strongly" recommended expanded use of Tasers by police as an effective alternative to the use of guns in crisis situations and in spite of reports about deaths of stun-gun targets.

"We believe Tasers save lives," the grand jury said in a final report focusing on the handling of mentally ill people in the criminal justice system. "We are not hesitant to make this recommendation."

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, who attended the presentation of the final report, said, "Given the alternatives of a lethal or deadly weapon, they prefer the Taser."

The grand jury did not study the use of Tasers on children, even after recent reports of stun-gun use on children ages 6, 12 and 16. But the panel cited an Aventura police policy against use on pregnant women and children under 12 as a way of protecting vulnerable targets.

The panel offered suggestions for safeguards to make sure Tasers are used correctly and with adequate oversight, calling for training and policies requiring reports on all Taser discharges, disciplinary action for inappropriate use of stun guns and guidelines on populations to be avoided.

The grand jury noted reports of deaths after use of stun-guns but said autopsies pinned the deaths on drug overdoses or underlying medical conditions.

The safety claims of stun-gun maker Taser International, Inc. are being probed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

On mental health issues, the panel concluded mental illness has been made into a criminal offense, in part because of a lack of crisis centers, and jails have evolved into mental institutions.

The grand jury proposed state expansion of mental health facilities, a law allowing court-ordered outpatient treatment for Florida's mentally ill population and the creation of police and jail crisis intervention teams.