5784d12f   
   XPost: alt.prisons   
   From: ww1971@bigpigpond.com   
      
   "ComandanteBanana"  wrote in message   
   news:78c01168-d05c-414f-8bda-9441d3493010@w31g2000prd.googlegroups.com...   
   > Remember that catchy phrase of "the revolving door" in the 80's,   
   > blaming the liberals for the quick release of criminals? Well, half of   
   > the released from prison this year are mentally ill, a record-breaking   
   > number... around 400,000 being dumped into the streets of America,   
   > only to commit a crime shortly after their release and go back to   
   > prison, where they shouldn't be in the first place. No, the mentally   
   > ill don't belong in prison just like they don't belong in the streets,   
   > where they hold the public hostage of fear; they belong in psychiatric   
   > hospitals, from where they were released in the 70's according to the   
   > program. Who did that, and WHY? I was told it was Reagan but that pre-   
   > dates him. Carter would have been more humane than that, even when I'm   
   > sure the government did it to save some good bucks.   
   >   
      
   The reason why psychiatric hospitals was closed is because the government   
   wants nearly everybody in the community and to treat them as normal people   
   and to try and give them a chance in life if they are willing to try.  Not   
   everybody needs to be in a psychiatric hospital.  Look the fact is hospitals   
   are not going to be big enough to support everybody ever.   
      
   I'm comfortable with the idea of trying to keep people out of hospital but   
   some people like DUMMYGAWD won't accept the idea and possibly would rather   
   place dangerous criminals and others in psychiatrist hospitals placing staff   
   and other patients at risk.  I don't know what DUMMYGAWD intends to do with   
   criminals when his plans to shut down prisons go ahead but it is obvious to   
   me that he prefers them to be put in psychiatric hospitals when they are way   
   beyond help.  If DUMMYGAWD's plans goes ahead it would sadly be a massive   
   waste of resources, and God help me because criminals could break loose and   
   do more dangerous crimes resulting in more loss of lives.  No one is kept in   
   a mental hospital for all their lives, no one is!   
      
   The reason why people are thrown on streets is because they aren't trying   
   hard enough to make an effort to improve their lives and some people just   
   develop an habit of pretending to be poor so they could rely on charity for   
   the rest of their lives.  Some people are just plain lazy when they are able   
   and capable to lead a normal life but they are not trying hard enough.   
   Besides it if the government chose to keep the psychiatric hospital open   
   there is a real risk that some people may choose to use the hospitals for   
   all the wrong reasons.  The reality is some people are NOT really that sick   
   to be admitted to hospital but are wasting their own time and the staff time   
   when resources could easily have been put to better use.  Some people who   
   really need help when they are genuinely ill have died because they missed   
   out on care due to the actions of some irresponsible patients who really   
   don't need help but are in a hospital for all the wrong reasons.   
      
   Hospitals are not supposed to be a one sized fits all solution for   
   everybody.  You cannot just build a 1 million bed hospital for a 1 million   
   people city.  it just doesn't work that way.   
      
   Also the reason why they were sent to prison is the crime that they have   
   committed, not their illness.   
      
   William Walker   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)