02-16-2024, 12:29 PM
Quote: @bigbone62 said:
That's a great synopsis of the mental health issue, I agree with much of what you say there, but when I hear of the failures and holes in the rehab and treatment processes for all types of illnesses and the increase of rampant "self treament" ( drug use ) until there is a better solution I would prefer to keep those people locked up and off the streets. It's at least once or twice a month we are hearing of those recently released turning right around and committing worse crimes than what they were just arrested for.@JimmyinSD said:
So when it's not mental illness, can we agre that in a lot of cases it's a lack of law with teeth? This happens all the time in an era of light on crime policy, more and more we hear about criminal acting without fear of reprisal and then act outraged or confused when it escalates?
We have a society problem more than anything IMO, can't point to one cause on a problem as diverse and complex as violence towards others.
Glad you brought this up. I haven't had to speak on the topic yet this year so my presentation isn't updated from last year. But 60 plus % of those incarcerated have a DIAGNOSED severe mental health issue. Safe to say tens of thousands more are undiagnosed.
People with a severe mental health diagnosis are more likely to be the victim of a violent crime than the perpetrator. But "sane man commits mass shooting" doesn't have quite the same ring with news orgs trying to get views and clicks.
The largest provider of mental health in this country is not community mental health centers, hospitals, private practices or mental health walk-in clinics. It's jails and prisons. And by a wide margin. So you rally for being tougher on crime which is great and all.
But there are those so severely ill and under treated that no amount of "throwing the book at them" is going to put a dent in recidivism. You can't imprison mental illness away. Frankly you're going to increase it significantly by continued incarceration.
I will only speak on behalf of the many members of law enforcement I've joined on community mental health panels. But across the board they say yes they want more funding. Not for guns, tactical gear, tanks or specialized tactical training.
But rather for mental health first aid training and other trainings that give them the tools to deal with and deescalate mentally ill people they encounter. The use of mental health courts. More social workers to do ride alongs to deescalate and connect the mentally ill with the appropriate resources. Rather than taking up valuable jail cells and hospital beds.
Communities that have invested in rebuilding the community mental health approach stripped away in the 80's show incredible progress with reduced recidivism. Not to mention law enforcement spending less man hours dealing with disturbances by mentally ill and more time enforcing the law. And therefore being tougher on crime.
If anyone wants a high level few of what law enforcement deals with in terms of mental illness I strongly suggest the book "Anyplace But Here: The Uncomfortable Convergence Between Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice System" by sheriff Tony Thompson.
Law enforcement job is to keep the streets safe, once they do their job it should be turned over to qualified mental health professionals to evaluate the safety of the individual being released, but I don't think it should be a numbers game, housing for profit, or releasing to show progress should somehow be eliminated from the equation. It's a very slippery slope in either direction.
I dont envy those in the profession as I am sure it's very difficult work to do correctly and the lack of resources makes it more challenging, but I do think incarceration is a better approach than the catch and release we are seeing these days, especially in the more urban parts of the country where jails are more crowded.
Question, is mental illness getting worse or are we creating more criteria to define poor judgement or actions as mental illness. I often wonder if it's like obesity, yes some people are genetically predisposed to carrying more weight, but some of us it's an unhealthy choice, it shouldn't be something that gets everyone a pass to disability, how much of the massive mental health issue come from things like drug use and other self inflicted issues versus people that were just born with issues or had problems arise from illness or trauma beyond their control, or is it to big an issue to really identify?
What is your solution, I know it needs more funding, but as we have learned in this country typically more funding rarely leads to more positive results, just to another bloated social program.
