To think prison isn't the answer?

[passmethewineplease]

A couple of weeks ago a man was stood on top of a railway bridge threatening to jump. He was up there for hours..finally they managed to talk him down.

I've just read in our local paper that the man has been jailed for causing disruption?!

Surely that isn't right? The man was ready to throw himself under a train?!

[incywincybitofa]

Are you being specific to that story or to the penal system in general?

Actually for that man, as sadly for many others prison may well be where he feels safe and at home. So no not the solution that is ideal, but maybe for him it wasn't such a bad outcome as it looks like on paper.

[Seriouslyffs]

I agree, it doesn't sound great. Maybe there was more to the story. Maybe he'll get the care he needs.
Very sad.

[passmethewineplease]

Bit of both really incy

I really hope he gets some help. I don't see how him getting a criminal record will help him though.

[wineandcheeseplease]

I saw this story this morning on my local newspaper. I found it disgusting that he has been put in prison wheb he clearly needs mental health help.

[Enjolrass]

Do you have details?

My friends ex husband brought the motorway near Leicester to a standstill twice, threatening to jump off a bridge. He had no intentions of doing it. There were fours tailbacks.

The first time her did was because he had gambled all their money away including savings. He was hoping she would be so relieved that he didn't do it, that she would forgive anything. The second was because she was leaving him for emptying the account....again.

It was a sympathy grabber for him, manipulative bastard. He threatens to kill himself fairly often when he doesn't get his own way.

He went to prison....was the right place for him.

[TodmordensDog]

There are mental health units in prisons

[Debinaround]

Not sure without the details.

When my little sister was born, back in the early 80s, she was seriously ill. She needed an operation that our hospital couldn't perform and was rushed, by ambulance, to the large hospital in the next city. To get there they had to go over the Tyne bridge. Except some guy was threatening to jump off the bridge and the police had the bridge closed.

My mam said the paramedic got out of the ambulance and argued with the police, telling him that he had a dying baby that he had to get to hospital. They wouldn't let them go over the bridge and made them turn around and take an alternative route. My mam was frantic.

She got to hospital in time and has just had her 34th birthday but it could have been very different.

I understand it can be a cry for help but it also can endanger other peoples lives and that's not ok.

As far as my mam remembers the guy didn't jump.

[EatDessertFirst]

They will get the help they need in prison. Thats part of the duty of care.

They are put in prison (rather than treated as an outpatient) because of their criminal act.

[cranberryx]

I have heard that in Japan, if you jump under a train and commit suicide your family is forced to pay a fine to recoup the financial losses suffered by the train company due to the suicide.

I think the idea is that the sense of shame of having their family take on so much debt from their death is meant to discourage it.

Although not an expert in suicide at all - surely if he was there for over an hour it was a cry for help. The fine may discourage others from seeking to try something similar. Although the poor man probably has enough on his plate at the moment. I can kind of see both sides.

I hope he gets the support he needs.