eyeball Posted May 30, 2012 Report Posted May 30, 2012 Yes, especially since it's hard to physically observe empirically things like bipolar disorder, psychosis, and schizophrenia. I'm not a neurologist, maybe there are brain scans that can observe these things happening in the brain? Rather than just relying on a psychiatrist's and others' observations of the patient. Brain scans can detect damage after a schizophrenic psychotic break from reality has occurred so diagnoses don't just rely on observation alone. Quote A government without public oversight is like a nuclear plant without lead shielding.
Signals.Cpl Posted May 30, 2012 Report Posted May 30, 2012 What is to stop any convicted murderer from killing again while in prison? Answer: nothing. There are no guarantees. What is to stop Li from murdering sagfe house staff? The threat of going back to hospital? Why would that stop him. What bothers me is that his crime was not just horrific, it was planned. He bough a knife. He bought a bus ticket. He got on the bus. I can accept that he was crazy, but I don't accept that he can just be released with the promise of taking meds. Tracking devices are not foolproof, but when taking it off or tampering with it means back to the nuthouse will make his lizard brain think twice. I don't really give a shit about the civil liberties implications of a life sentence of having to wear a tracking device. There is never a guarantee about anything, but that doesn't mean we should let him go so he can potentially decide to go off his meds and kill another person or people. Tracking devices as you said are not fool proof and he might not want to go back to the hospital, but at the same time the reaction time between removing the device and the police kicking in the door gives him a nice head start and if he decides to get off of his meds and listen to "god" again more people lose their lives. Quote Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst
Signals.Cpl Posted May 30, 2012 Report Posted May 30, 2012 (edited) Did Li serve his sentence or not? I don't know, whats the punishment for killing a person and then eating their eyes and heart? Edited May 30, 2012 by Signals.Cpl Quote Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst
guyser Posted May 30, 2012 Report Posted May 30, 2012 I don't know, whats the punishment for killing a person and then eating their eyes and heart? You wanted people sentenced to serve that sentence. You imply that here... yet we still demand they serve their sentences. Thus the question. Quote
Signals.Cpl Posted May 30, 2012 Report Posted May 30, 2012 You wanted people sentenced to serve that sentence. You imply that here... Thus the question. I don't think he was sentenced to anything. Quote Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst
eyeball Posted May 30, 2012 Report Posted May 30, 2012 I don't think he was sentenced to anything. That's because we don't punish people with mental illness, we treat them. Quote A government without public oversight is like a nuclear plant without lead shielding.
fellowtraveller Posted May 30, 2012 Report Posted May 30, 2012 There is never a guarantee about anything, but that doesn't mean we should let him go so he can potentially decide to go off his meds and kill another person or people. Convicted murderers are released all the time to return to society.At least in his case we know why he killed and what prevents him from repeating it. And of course he was sentenced, you have to have something on paper to confine anybody. His verdict was not guilty, because he did not have mental capacity to commit a crime. His sentence was indeterminate, no minimum or maximum. Quote The government should do something.
betsy Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Posted May 30, 2012 Neither does someone who is high, or someone who commits a murder in the heat of the moment yet we still demand they serve their sentences. That's for the law to decide. Some killers get off lightly with "crimes of passion." Quote
betsy Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Posted May 30, 2012 I totally agree. For murder, the person should be closely monitored, especially for meds, but also state of mind, for the rest of their lives. That would mean living in a mental health group home, or having to check in with a psych nurse every day. In that case I have no problem releasing them. The biggest bs is the temporary insanity - like that doctor in Montreal who got off from killing his children because he was deemed temporarily insane and has now been released or is about to be. That's a travesty. What about post-partum moms? Quote
eyeball Posted May 31, 2012 Report Posted May 31, 2012 And of course he was sentenced, you have to have something on paper to confine anybody. His verdict was not guilty, because he did not have mental capacity to commit a crime. His sentence was indeterminate, no minimum or maximum. He was not sentenced, he was turned over to the care of health authorities where he was diagnosed, not convicted, and he is receiving treatment, not punishment. No matter how many times you people who can't get your heads around the difference between criminals and the mentally ill - by using the language reserved for criminals to vilify the sick - you will only continue to underscore your deep and perhaps willful ignorance of the nature of mental illness. Would you punish your kid for coming home with chicken pox? If not, why? Quote A government without public oversight is like a nuclear plant without lead shielding.
Guest Manny Posted May 31, 2012 Report Posted May 31, 2012 One might argue that many who commit murder were rendered temporarily insane, senselessly responding in an act of passion without considering the consequences. It is only later after the act is committed that they feel guilt and remorse, and regret what they did. Quote
betsy Posted June 1, 2012 Author Report Posted June 1, 2012 (edited) One might argue that many who commit murder were rendered temporarily insane, senselessly responding in an act of passion without considering the consequences. It is only later after the act is committed that they feel guilt and remorse, and regret what they did. The courts use experts who can differentiate the difference. It's not uncommon for a criminal to use the "insanity card" to avoid jail term. The court also determines if the criminal is mentally fit to stand trial. Edited June 1, 2012 by betsy Quote
cybercoma Posted June 1, 2012 Report Posted June 1, 2012 More laws to treat medical problems as criminal problems. Quote
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