Re: OT--The Lawyers Did It


Ray_Manor@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Bill C wrote:
> > Philip Holman wrote:
> > > "B. Lafferty" <Magni@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > > news:tA0Je.1538$RZ2.401@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > and now he's going to die.
> > > >
> > > > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4126154.stm
> > >
> > > IQ = 76 but still not smart enough to deliberately flunk the test. What
> > > kind of advice was he getting?
> > >
> > > Phil H
> > Apparently about the same kind of help he got from the mental health
> > system. I think that sector of our health system is by far the most
> > screwed up. You'd think it'd occur to someone in government that
> > actually providing programs, monitoring and treatment is massively more
> > cost effective both in terms of money and lives, but *** no that's too
> > easy.
> > We as a society failed this kid and his victim, but they'll kill this
> > kid, and never even begin to address where the system blew it.
> > Guess I shouldn't expect it since a lot of States can't even take care
> > of the young children in their programs. Pretty sad state of affairs.
> > Bill C
>
> Now there is an urban myth that has been repeated ad nauseum.

http://www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521580730
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/161/1/184-a
http://www.iop.kcl.ac.uk/iopweb/departments/research/default.aspx?locator=3
Quoted:
Broad Summary
There is now compelling evidence that persons with mental disorders are
at increased risk to engage in antisocial and criminal behaviours.

Though it looks like the school made some efforts in Atkin's case to
address these problems as early as second grade it obviously didn't
work out in this case and I can't find any details of what if any
treatment he had received in the past. No treatment is not going to be
a blanket cure all, but it's idiotic to pretend, or think that early
intervention and treatment aren't effective.
This is an area where I have access to lot's of info and have had to
watch incredible frustration from people trying to help keep kids out
of trouble. I have family that taught special education for years, and
a lawyer who specialized in Juvenile, and care and protection work
until she just had to do other things too out of frustration.
Mass. has one of the more comprehensive systems, but the funding, and
number of programs has shrunken drastically as they moved money into
the "punishment" side. Getting young people who have been identified as
needing treatment into programs can be almost impossible, and keeping
them there for longer than emergency services almost impossible, until
the next incident.
Even with my wife and I both being fairly well educated, navigating
the system was difficult, and we had tons of people in it who wanted to
help. I really don't know how someone coming from a situation with
little parental support, learning difficulties, and possibly other
problems would get enough help to make a difference. The case workers
are massively overloaded, the programs have been cut, and the system is
incredibly difficult to make work for kids at risk.
I'm not saying this is the only answer by any means, but it should
damn well be a lot bigger part of addressing young at risk people, and
young offenders.
I fully support "three strikes" laws for violent offenders, capital
punishment in limited cases and longer sentences, but that said there
needs to be much more treatment and rehab for first offenders, more
treatment when they are locked up, and more life skills classes. This
isn't going to end the problem, but it's been shown over and over that
it can, and does have a significant effect on reducing recidevism
rates. Just warehousing them, along with other criminals, where they
can network is not helping much.
Typos are a feature
Bill C

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