Reader comments
Lawmakers told mentally ill could clog state's justice system

Interested observer | 2:50 p.m. May 21, 2008

Sim needs to get out of Salt Lake a little more -- the Fourth District Court in Provo has had a mental health court for several years.

Observer | 4:43 p.m. May 21, 2008

Years ago, the mentally ill were made residents of mental hospitals where they were cared for.

The liberals insisted that it was cruel to treat them that way and the idiots in Congress declared that they must be released to roam the streets and do as they please. We see the results, but will the politicians recognize their mistake and commit these folks to mental hospitals again? No, they will just raise taxes and build bigger prisons to warehouse these pitiful people.

Lock them up and crime will drop and everyone will be better off.

Sounds cruel, but no worse than allowing them to victimize society and endanger themselves.

Okay- Watch NAMI and the nut-lobby scream and try to deny reality.

Sim | 5:43 p.m. May 21, 2008

Interested observer, sorry the 4th District oversight was not intentional and if it seemed as such I appologize. I was talking about the model in SLCO. I know there is good work being done in Utah County as there will be hopefully soon up in Cache County as well.

The 4th District was acknowledged in further discussions at the hearing this morning.

Comments continue below

To Observer | 12:15 p.m. May 28, 2008

"These pitiful people" are your friends, neighbors, family members, church leaders. Mental illness affects good people and is no respecter of wealth, religion, or social status. You can't tell that someone is mentally ill just by looking at him. Many mental illnesses can be managed with proper medication, and patients live normal lives. Mental illness is caused by a chemical imbalance, just like other illnesses such as diabetes. Blood-sugar imbalances can also cause erratic behavior. Should we lock diabetics up, too?

I'd be afraid to live in a country where the government could declare someone mentally ill and lock him up. (Mental illness can't be diagnosed with a blood test.) Disagree with someone in power (in an online rant, perhaps?), and you could lose your freedom. A little knowledge and compassion go a long way.

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