Forced Treatment

There's an interesting story in today's New York Times about an attempt to force treatment on people judged to be mentally ill. It's in an article with the non-inflammatory title, "Killings Loom Over Debate on Treating Mentally Ill". Here's an excerpt:

Against the vivid backdrop of recent killings by mentally ill people, both sides in the national debate over whether mentally ill people who have not committed a crime can be forced into treatment are preparing for a showdown in the Legislature here.
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Reviewing information from case managers from 1999 to 2004, the New York Office of Mental Health said people ordered into treatment under the law committed fewer crimes and were less likely to end up homeless or in psychiatric hospitals or harm themselves or others.

A little over one-third of the 10,000 cases referred to court, most of them in New York City, resulted in forced outpatient treatment, according to the report, which Gov. George E. Pataki cited in declaring Kendra's law a success.

But Harvey Rosenthal, executive director of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, flew to New Mexico this week to dispute the state report's findings.

Mr. Rosenthal cited a report by a legal advocacy group, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, which asserted that blacks were five times as likely as whites to face court orders. In addition, he said, counties have unevenly applied the law, skewing the results of the study.

"New York's law is not the model it is made out to be," he said.
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In unrelated news, here is a list of murders and other crimes from the past month, also reported in the New York Times, which were committed by people who are considered sane. Perhaps we need a law to forcibly medicate sane people because they are very violent and dangerous.

Sobs and Hugs, but Not His Jailed Mother, at Abused Boy's Funeral

One Year After Chemist's Murder, a Stalled Inquiry Angers Relatives

The Tenafly Councilman and 40 Bags of Heroin

Man Appeals Conviction of Student's Murder

Michigan Couple Charged in Son's Death

Man Convicted in Two Pa. Shooting Deaths

BOROUGH PRESIDENT'S GRANDSON IS CHARGED

SUSPECT IN KILLING OF POLICE SERGEANT IS ARRESTED

Woman Gets Life in Texas Professor's Death

Ohio Doctor Indicted in Wife's Poisoning

No More Favors, Judge Tells Man Accused in Court Mayhem

Man Sentenced in 'Girls Gone Wild' Attack

Nichols May Be Tried in Atlanta Courthouse

Across the City, Gunfire and Stabbings Leave 6 Dead in 24 Hours

Murder Trial Ends, but the Mystery Doesn't

Driver Shot on Bronx Street After Police Pull Him Over

Brooklyn Jury Gets Case of Killing of Detectives