AIBU think that the current justice system fails people with mental illness?

[isthisright2020]

Just that really. This man clearly has been failed by the health and social care system and now the justice system is doing the same.

I feel incredible remorse for this lady as I can personally relate to her as my mum was randomly attacked while I was young by a man who questioned why she was looking at him. He was acting strangely at the time by the way and it turned out he had paranoid schizophrenia. However, I strongly feel a man who has a long documented history of multiple mental health issues that include violent tendencies should not have been on the street unaccompanied in the first place.

I feel He should never have gone to a regular prison for his previous crime in the first place but been given a hospital order which would have best served his mental health needs but most importantly public safety and released only with proper support in place.

The poor woman and her child will now be scared for life and this could have been prevented.

The hybrid prison hospital sentence is not the way to go!

I've NC for this as I am aware how controversial the subject matter may be.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-44-who-repeatedly-stabbed-22694507

I remember reading that a significant proportion (i.e. most) of violent criminals have some form of mental illness and/or psychopathy. Where do you draw the line? One of the main purposes of the criminal justice system is to protect the public so I can understand why in a time of limited financial resources that is being done.

I get this. However, I fell the punitive measures should be aimed at addressing the underlaying issues otherwise the public aren't really protected if the offender is released without proper mental health support?

He seems to have planned it quite well if what he said in court is correct so no I think that prison is the right place for him. He apparently spent hours looking for the 'right person' to attack and chose her because 'He said he chose Mrs Conlon because she was small, female, pushing a buggy and he did not think she would fight back.' so not impulsive and random, just someone he thought he could hurt with minimal fight back to him.

Without commenting on this case specifically, I’m general I agree with you. If we had adequate mental health support in this country I think crime would reduce significantly. People wouldn’t take drugs so frequently to deal with their unaddressed mental illness so wouldn’t need to steal to pay for them and the violent crimes that are committed by people who aren’t really in control of themselves would be reduced.

The system fails both those who suffer from mental illnesses and those who are victims of their actions.

A high proportion of those committing violent crimes have mental illnesses. As a rule, healthy, stable people don't tend to be violent.

Increasing mental health provision would prevent so much crime.

I can't see where he is now ,is he back in prison or a secure unit? There are only three special hospitals( high secure ) in England and one in Scotland ,and more medium secure units .

I don't know where he is likely in a secure unit to start then released to a prison after they decide he is "fit". Think this is where the problem then lies prisoners released on license don't have the same supervised support as mental health patients.

I would feel safer knowing he is in a place where upon release he receives proper support that ensures public safety.

When people are in secure units ,the sentence can often be longer than a prison sentence ,because ,if the Psychiatrist believes someone is still unwell and continues to need treatment ,than they can continue to be detained under the mental health act ,it's years since I had a placement in a secure unit ,but as I recall if someone is under a home office section of the mental health act ,than to even get ground leave the psychiatrist has to apply to the home office for it .