4 ms·
We had a case once where a guy kept breaking into a local business. Didn't take anything, just broke the door or a window and picked things up and moved them ar
by brownbat 8y ago
We had a case once where a guy kept breaking into a local business. Didn't take anything, just broke the door or a window and picked things up and moved them around a bit then left. Did it repeatedly despite a series of warnings and discussions.
Guy was not malicious, just not mentally healthy. Doing nothing meant the business would continue to get harassed.
Judge and prosecutor and defense attorney had a long conference about how none of the options available were any good.
Mental health courts are one approach being tried out in a few jurisdictions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_health_court https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_health_court
Basically like a plea agreement with conditions to enter into a community based support program or some kind of treatment program.
They aren't without criticisms, but they provide a tool to deal with these messed up situations the criminal justice constantly gets stuck with.
- toomanybeersies 8y agoSo what was the end result? Did they send the guy to prison or try and get him the help he needed?
- brownbat 8y agoThey had no authority to compel treatment. I think they used the minimum sentence then worked to set up a mental health court for future cases.