Quote:
Originally Posted by Agamemnon
I'm sure no one in this thread suggested he get off 'scott free'.
I'm more trying to gauge where people's opinions lie on; 'should someone with mental illness who committed a crime be treated the same as someone who is mentally fit who committed the same crime'.
The answer in this thread appears to be yes.
|
I say no. That does not mean that I agree with an early release as in this situation, but I don't think you can treat people who committed crimes while mentally insane the same way as those who were of sane mind when they committed their crime.
First off, I do believe that if someone with mental illness has committed a crime, they should be afforded the same justice as any other person who committed a crime. By that I mean, they should have proper legal representation, the right to a fair trial, whatever is needed.
Second, if they are found not guilty by reason of insanity, I don't think they should be put in the same facility as those found guilty who were of sane mind when they committed their crime. Not only will the mentally insane probably not get treatment while incarcerated in a regular prison, they could also add to the stress factor already present in those prisons, contributing to situations that could increase the likelihood of riots and the like happening.
Third, if they are found not guilty by reason of insanity, then I think they should be put in facilities that address that situation.
For very severe situations like this one, I don't think the person should ever be out in the public again without some kind of supervision. Yes, with meds that person can certainly be what we call "normal" but there are no assurances that would remain the case without supervision. The person in question here has schizophrenia, a condition where in many cases the individual stops taking their meds when they feel better, because they think they no longer need them.
In situations where the public's safety was not a concern in the first place and won't be at a later point in time, and where treatment has shown that it is not likely the situation will repeat itself, then I have no problem with that person being released at a later date in time.