~*~ Incognito Critics #62 ~*~ Invite Only ! - Page 89

Originally posted by: dizzyonlemonade

Nothing serious with my life at least, thank goodness. So I was wondering based on the documentary, it showed specifically in Ohio those with paranoid schizophrenia would commit crimes and then go in and out of jail like a revolving door. Many were homeless and indignant in poverty and had no support system at all, no relationships with their families so they would stop taking their medications within 6 months. That means in prison they would at least be fine and treated, but then upon release as paranoid schizophrenics they would have to fend for themselves. Some in parole had to check in but if you served a full sentence then the person had no safety net. Thus the question posed was that since many do argue that deinstitutionalization in the 1960s was a good thing as it argued for the sake of individual freedom. And for the vast majority it was a good thing, but for those that are quite psychotic or have very severe schizophrenia and will just stop taking their medication is going in and out of the prison system such a good thing? All it is doing is avoiding the real problem. The statistic given at the end was that 1 million estimated mentally ill will come out of the American prison system in the next year, but the vast majority will be back in prison in 18 months. What I think society has vastly ignored is that some people are not really free when they are not being monitored because the paranoid schizophrenics need their medication in order to stop their delusions. And I was going to ask your opinion on the matter because the documentary sparked something inside of me.

Originally posted by: dizzyonlemonade

Okay, I know that was boring, Kully, sorry. But do see my response on the last page, lol.

Originally posted by: Ms.GoodMorning

It's a result of mass incarceration, just like the minorities (mostly blacks and hispanics) being socialized to commit crimes and end up in jail, seems like the same thing has happened with these people with paranoid schizophrenia. But its not a good thing, mass incarceration. Them being in jail might be a temporary solution, but what about in the long run. They are basically hurting themselves.
You are right. I was going to mention that part about how certain minorities are in jail at levels not all proportional to their population but in fact are over-represented in the population. And I completely agree with what is above, that is exactly what is happening. It is like putting a band-aid to on a severe injury. It needs serious and perhaps lengthy but costly treatment, to actually rehabilitate not just sort of pretend to try to. Now, I am missing my sociology classes., talking about this.😊
By the way, the delusions don't cause them to necessarily commit crimes right? I have forgotten. 😕😕Well, they showed this guy, who when he stopped taking his medications would break into people's homes because he thought Osama bin Laden was in people's homes.

I think they need to come up with a different solution, yes, they have committed crimes, but if you know they aren't taking their medicines, then why put them in jail? They know they are only monitored in jail and not when they get out. The whole system is screwed up.
Word to this, I don't know if state mental hospitals are the solution, as the movie Girl Interrupted showed, it can lead to people, who don't need to be institutionalized put into such situations. But for those, who have no one ready to take care of them because they are poor, combined with such a mental illness, putting them in prison and then releasing them over and over is not the solution. I think part of the increase of the prison industrial complex is due to deinstitutiononalization as some people need monitoring from some outside person. They did show one guy, who eventually got to a group home for such people having success and the rest, who didn't got back into trouble for the most part.
What was the documentary called?
It is called The Release from PBS. Here is a link to watch it online.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/released/

Originally posted by: ramsha247

wooh Nimmy that is long but what is it about?

I never get your talks, your talks are too big lol