SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. A10

LENGTH: 512 words

HEADLINE: AN ILL-CONCEIVED PROGRAM ON MENTAL ILLNESS

BYLINE: Stephen Mendelsohn; New Britain; Cathy Ludlum; Manchester; The writers are coordinators of Citizens for Responsible Alternatives to Forced Treatment.

BODY:
The July 14 editorial "Treatment, Not Jail, For Some" supports a program that is ill-conceived from a social standpoint.

The premise is that people who commit minor offenses such as vandalism or disorderly conduct should be divided into two distinct groups. Those who are deemed as "normal" should go through the standard legal process, which may lead to time in jail. Those who are judged as "mentally ill" would be shunted aside for treatment.    Although we all want to do something about crime, giving it a new name such
as "mentally ill behavior" is not going to have the desired result. On the
contrary, it will further stigmatize people who already face discrimination in
housing, employment and other areas.
   This popular prejudice, combined with the likelihood that treatment will be
never-ending and will give others the right to introduce harmful substances
into their bodies, already inhibits people from seeking help voluntarily.
Nowhere did the editorial consider the brutality of involuntary psychiatric
procedures, including forced drugging and electroshock.
   Proponents of this program are promoting a faulty and immoral premise: that
so-called normal people are created in the image of God, and that
psychiatrically disabled people are not. Thus they lack free will and cannot
be held responsible for their actions.
   We hear constant speculation and gossip about which mental illnesses
criminals suffer from. We do not hear such speculation about the brain
chemistry of a virtuous person.
   Instead of spending energy trying to force all human beings to behave the
same way, let's all work together to reduce the many causes of crime in our
society. We should:
   Reform our criminal justice system so that the only people who do time in
jail are those who are a danger to others. Misdemeanors like vandalism and
shoplifting can be more effectively punished by requiring restitution to the
owner of the property.
   Whether this restitution carries a financial penalty or time spent
repainting a wall, it fits the crime more closely than exposing the offender
to people who have committed worse crimes. It also gives him or her the
opportunity to set things right, which is important for self-esteem.
   Hold all people accountable for their actions by abolishing the insanity
defense. If necessary, create a place within the criminal justice system for
people with disabilities who commit crimes so that they will not be preyed
upon by hardened criminals. But let us call a spade a spade: If someone
violates the rights of others or threatens to do so, he or she belongs in a
penal institution, not in a hospital.
   Take a hard look at the social conditions that contribute to the problem of
nuisance crime. There has been a progressive breakdown of moral standards;
many people live by an ethic of "if it feels good, do it."
   Instead of trying to force more people to take drugs, perhaps we need to
work on empowering individuals and strengthening families.




GRAPHIC: GRAPHIC: (b&w), JOHN OVERMYER

LOAD-DATE: July 24, 2000