should people who have a mental illness who stop takings their medicine get the same sentence for committing?

Answer 1

Yes, they should. First of all they are on medication for a reason, and most of the time the reason is for them to halter some behaviors that they have. And by not taking medicine purposely only leaves me to believe that committing a crime of any kind is an act that could have been prevented. So yes absolutely by all means!!!

Answer 2

There is something quite unique called the Jarvis Hearing named after a psychiatrist who invented the concept. This is a legal hearing that is similar to a mental health commitment hearing, but instead requires the court to evaluate whether the patient should be required to take medication. It is only issued in extreme cases, especially when a patent's life or welfare is at stake, or if they are dangerous to others. (This is often seen with untreated severe schizophrenia or other psychosis and the disease literally takes control of the person's actions).

If the court determines the person must be medicated, and will improve to a more normal and safe level of functioning, there is no way to force oral medication so typically an injection to treat the mental health illness is given on a regular basis by a public health nurse or county mental health center. (usually this medication treats illusions, hallucinations and thought disorders).

The court determination is not taken lightly and a patient must show extreme dysfunction before a court will issue a "Jarvis order". The court must also prove that the medication will dramatically change the level of functioning so the person is safe.

Otherwise, a person can be legally committed to a mental health facility by the court.,

Answer 3

As a schizoaffective person, I feel that people with mental disorders, especially those where we can't control what we do all the time, should not be charged as a normal criminal. I'm not saying escape charges altogether, just not the same. Even when on meds it doesn't always work, especially if you're trying new meds for whatever reason and the psychiatrist is playing with dosage levels.

When I forget to take my morning or nighttime meds, or both even, I start behaving as though I've never been on them. I lost touch with reality once when I forgot to take my meds the night before and that morning, and I was about to walk into the shop and start smashing up cars with the sledge hammer because my belief was "Nothing is real, we aren't here, nothing can harm me, this is all an illusion..."

Not all of us can be held responsible for our actions, especially the schizophrenics who are permanently out of touch and the MPD's who are not themselves when a personality comes out and they can't help what that personality does.

Answer 4

Read about Andrea Yates in the book Are You There Alone? by Suzanne O'Malley. It opens a window into the world of mental illness. Mental illness is real. You can't wish it away or positive think it away. Andrea Yates will probably spend the rest of her life in a mental hospital. No, the mentally ill should not get the same sentence, but they should be helped and not allowed to hurt again.

Answer 5

Not a straightforward answer. It depends on why they stop taking meds. If the meds are not compatible or the diagnosis is wrong so they are not effective then the support services need to be approachable and open to adjusting things. If someone has an illness and knows that the meds keep them well, or at least stop them causing harm in some way, then if they stop they have to accept responsibility for their actions just like everyone else.

Answer 6

When a person commits a crime, they should pay the price. The effect of taking their meds or not should not matter. At any time in their life they can continue to go on and off their meds, so they could commit another crime. It is normal for people with mental illness's to go off their medication throughout their entire life, thus making them very dangerous if they are capable of committing crimes.

Answer 7

You mean committed a crime?
I think everybody should pay for their crime regardless whatever excuses they might have, except for the self defense.
Same sentence? I don't know about that, for in this country, you don't get same sentence for same crime.
And for the person with mental illness, it should be consider to some degree, but NOT, not guilty because of it.

Answer 8

A crime is a crime...regardless as to whether the person who committed it is on or off medication or if the person is a "juvenile" or an adult. The crime is still the same...a murder victim is still dead...regardless of whether the person who killed him is 16 or 46. Dead is dead! So, a person who knowingly stops taking their medication should be given the same punishment as someone who stops taking their Insulin, or their heart medication, or their cholesterol medication....no one stops to ask if they should be given the same sentence.

Answer 9

Yes. I worked in a motorcycle shop where a regular customer stopped taking his meds and came into our store and killed two of our employees. Before he came in, he shot a state employee who was a Vietnam veteran and after our shop he killed two police officers. All of these people had children or were children themselves. This murderous rampage was absolutely pre-meditated and I would love to see that sick freak die in the chair.

Answer 10

I certainly think so. At some level we ALL have to be responsible for our actions. I have seen so many people use mental illness as a crutch in the courts and the hospitals. It's crap. Unless you are severely mentally retarded, you have got to be responsible for hurting people and ruining lives.