NYPD Round Up Mentally Ill Before They Commit Crimes

Looks to me that they aren't rounding up all mentally ill people. Only those who have already standing warrants for disobeying a court order to take medication. Normally those warrants are probably way low on the police priority list but recent incidents just bumped them up.

 

If they've disobeyed a court order for medication or counseling sessions, I see no problem. I stand corrected.

 

The article says they'd be taken to a hospital for treatment, not to a prison.

 

Misleading thread title much?

 

Nothing "automatically" results in a standing warrant. They have to be issued by a judge. That doesn't mean the warrants were issued because of the incident mentioned in the article.

 

Okay, I read it. They're not arresting them per se; they're giving them their meds, essentially.

 

Gotta catch em all!

 

I guess they'd know if they haven't had the require prescriptions filled, or if they haven't made the required hospital visits.

 

I imagine the subway incident prompted the judge(s) to follow up with the pharmacies the prescriptions were called in to.

 

But how could any computer database keep track of whether they were taking medication or not? That doesn't make any sense. The only way to tell is through prescription info or lack of hospital visits. I mean, its not like the computer is watching them through their window...

 

There is a simple solution: take your meds on your own.

 

If the side effects kick in, there's always the option of contacting the pharmacy or physician. The psych meds should be given alongside counseling sessions from the psychiatrist.

 

Let's say you're a mentally unstable individual who is prone to violent outbursts. One of these lands you in front of a judge. Instead of sending you to prison for assault, he orders you into a medical program where you must report to a facility to receive treatment, part of which, is medication that has been proven to prevent these violent outbursts. Instead of showing up at the doctor's office and taking your meds, you choose to ignore the sentence. This will lead to the doctor telling the courts and a warrant being issued. That, in turn, leads to you being picked up by the cops.

Or, perhaps the mentally ill person is a sexual predator who is sentenced to chemical castration. By taking a certain dosage, his sexual desires are suppressed and he doesn't molest little kids anymore. He decides to stop showing up for his meds. You can see where that could lead.

Bottom line, violating a court order is an arrestable offense.

Also, going off your meds to avoid certain side effects can actually lead to other, sometimes worse, side effects.

 

I agree. However, you're assuming the stance that judges are issuing warrants on people who have been diagnosed as mentally ill for no reason other than their illness. You're not allowing for even the most remote possibility that the person has done something wrong. I've found you have to do SOMETHING to get on the court's radar.

 

Exactly. I see no reason to assume Orwellianism at this point.

 

They put sick dogs down. Forcing people to be medicated seems pretty good in comparison.