I find it interesting?

[S.C.]

It took some 52 tear gas canisters to get the “mental patient” out of the house Yesterday in TV land, there was a stand off and a cop was shot in the neck.

I heard on intelligent remark about the whole thing and I’m sure the problem is nationwide. There is not enough money spent on care for the mentally unstable.

South Carolina is probably no different than any other state, a bunch of unstable people and not enough facilities to ensure their safety and or the safety of others.

It has been in the news a good bit lately and it seems no one can connect the dots?

 

[PascalFleischman]

They're putting them in WONDERFUL facilities...I think there's one called the Hart Senate building. I don't know the other one, but it's got "House" and "Representatives" somewhere in the title.

 

[kwo51]

And thats the truth. Back in the 60's people were put in homes or nut houses. That was changed when the medical people found good drugs to control problem people. I guess that is why so many shooters are of their meds. when their go nuts. This boy in Omah was not wanted by anyone. Why not a military or peace corps for these kids.

 

[eluno]

Let me add to what kwo51 said. The meds that were used (and still use) do work, but the have to be "tuned" often for a number of reasons. What happened was back in the 80's, Ron Reagan cut a load of funding that paid for the care of these people in mental hospitals and they were forced out to the streets with a pocket full of meds. They were instructed to check in for their check up, but guess what, they didn't. They got off the meds and are now wondering the streets. The funding since has not been able to fix the problem. The really sad thing about the whole Reagan cut was that Veteran Hospitals were hit the hardest. When you see an old homless person sleeping in a park, there is a good chance he's a vet.

 

[S.C.]

Chip them?

I do not have a clear-cut answer but there seems to be a legitimate coalition between some of the current violent outbreaks and the lack of mental health availability for those in need.

I would never suggest putting a tracking chip on a war veteran but think about it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

When the state of South Carolina closed the Bull Street hospital they did a great disservice to all. Expecting a person with a legitimate problem with mental health issues to remember to take a pill so they do not go on a killing rampage is a little more responsibility that that person should be allowed to undertake don’t ya think?

Like I said, I’m no expert but it surely seems the out patient program is a bust and there is a real need for some in patient mental health facilities big enough to support the current problem.

Each state dose the general public a great disservice when they say there is no money in the budget to support mental health facilities. The Bull street campus was for the most violent and when it closed it forced the mentally ill into general population or in general lock up and that is just not the answer.

Some if not many of the crimes today may have been completely avoided had there been better-equipped facilities to deal with the mentally ill.

Tracking not quite the answer? They track sex offenders for the sake of public safety so why not paint someone with a real potential to kill if they go off their meds in the same color?

 

[eluno]

I don't have much faith in doctors being able to spot a "potential" killer. The whole preemptive strike idea is not a good one especially when we are talking about taking away someone's freedom because some doctor thinks this person might go off the deep end. Don't get me wrong, some cases are obvious and I would hope those folks are already under strict supervision. It's the folks who seem otherwise normal who snap that seem to be the ones to watch for. Unfortunatley, the only way to legally track a sex offender is after the fact and I think the same has to be applied to an "off the meds" killer if we want to preserve our civil liberties. Freedom is not free.
I do like the idea of the chip for murderers and sex offenders who are sane. Those people made a decision to do their evil deed and should be watched closer if they are out of jail. It should be part of their sentence.

 

[S.C.]

You can not oversimplify things

But look at the cracks in the current system.

Little Jack kills his little brother when he is 6. A bunch of doctors put him on some meds and give him back to the parents.

The parents move four or five times and Little Jack isn’t so little any more but he is still on his meds and his parents have their hands full. We all know mom will defend her son to the end and the state Jacks parents live in have no knowledge of his past actions.

Jack buys a gun just after leaving the nest, nothing in his background prevented legal purchase.

Jack stops taking his meds and everyone blames Jack’s actions on the firearm?

Three strikes your out generally works but when do you start keeping score? I say the younger the better. I do not think any form of supreme power should be given any one physician but there should be a better check to the current balance.

 

[eluno]

yep, it is tricky...

Yeah, little Jack gets moved around by his parents and his medical history is lost. How do you track someone that might snap? Most kids are enrolled in schools. If we set up a system that requires phyco. and medical histories background checks before they are admitted to school, then we have an invasion of privacy issue.
Is it better training by teachers so they can spot dangerous behavior tendencies? If we do that, then we have the chance of a normal kid being accused of being a potential nut? Talk about peer pressure.
It seems to be a catch 22. The only thing we know for sure is that we can't predict who snaps. So where dose that leave us? It leaves us simply to react and that is all. Some may choose to hide under a desk when some kid snaps, others may choose to defend them selves, but that already is another catch 22. What to do?

 

[S.C.]

Cage them all up till ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The more I think about the US tracking information the more I think about what the US can not or will not track.

Millions of illegal immigrants and the US government can not or will not tell how many people are using one Social Security Number?

Clear problem that will not be addressed so how can other attempts at any form of tracking anything be ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,