Quote:
Originally Posted by fiamme red
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HenryA
Whether we like it or not legislatures around the country have abrogated their responsibility to provide for mentally ill citizens. The criminal justice system is what we’re left with. As more and more people are reconized to have actual diagnosed mental health problems, the math of locking them up stops working.
What we’re doing here in my community is not catch and release, but catch and engage. At its most pragmatic, this approach simply saves money and crowded jail resources. On that measure alone, its a smart move.
Engagement is the key. If anyone thinks that locking ‘em up or ignoring the mentally ill is a solution they are wrong. We’ve proven that over several decades. The good news is that some are beginning to recognize the issue for what it is and that its cheaper and better for everyone involved to engage rather than incarcerate in those instances where it is likely to be successful. Sometimes its as simple as keeping a person compliant with their meds. This can be vastly less expensive than incarceration in money and in quality of life for the entire community.
The moral component seems obvious to some, not so much to others. I submit that punishing the mentally ill is like beating your dog for peeing in the house two weeks prior. It does not do any good, only harm. The dog has no idea why its getting beat and no way to connect the beating with the past behavior. It just got beat down and hurt. No good comes from that method.
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A good article to go through, and I appreciate this response. Especially on Christmas Day, when many of us are fortunate enough to be surrounded by family, abundant food, and comfortable residence.
Obviously no easy answer, but when we stop caring what happens to others we lose part of our humanity.