It has been reported that Adam Lanza had a recognized mental condition, diagnosed by psychiatrists. I would suggest that it would be reasonable to require all mental health providers to report to local law enforcement such conditions with recomendations regarding public safety issues such as violent tendancies, driving restrictions, and firearms ownership. Failure to do so, could result in civil and criminal penalties. Local law enforcement would then visit the individual and other members of the household and report to NCIC as appropriate. This approach would be similar to the current requirements to report bullet wounds, child abuse etc.Charles L. Cotton wrote:Mental health arguments in this context are a bogyman. I'm not saying our mental health facilities and policies are sufficient to deal with people in need, but it's not the answer to mass murderers. There was nothing in Adam Lanza's medical records that would or should be used to involuntarily commit him, at least not that I have seen reported. Look at the other school shooters and to my recollection, none had been diagnosed with a mental illness that would have supported involuntary commitment.2firfun50 wrote:While I agree with most of the article, I was somewhat put off by the use of the phrase "mental health bogeymen". I suspect many on the forum know or are familar with people who who maybe should not have firearms. If we continue to take the same old positions, we'll see the same results as the last election.
We really need to be ready to address the mental health situation and the wholely inadequate system we have now. It may be the only dog we'll have in the upcoming witch hunt.
So-called civil commitment is already being discussed and it scares the snot out of me! Declaring someone insane or incompetent was a favored tactic of Hitler, the Soviet Union, North Korea and numerous other oppressive regimes. When the government, rather than psychiatrists, gets to decide who's mentally incompetent, we're in trouble.
On a more practical note, there are people in Washington who support a mandatory psychological exam before being able to own a gun, much less carry it. Focusing on mental health issues in response to Newtown is a mistake, in my view.
Chas.
Just maybe such an approach would have caused Adam's mother to rethink her actions and saved lives.