Evil Or Sick ? You Decide

[Canary42]

Proof, if any needed, that mental sickness still not getting the recognition it needs.

With such an appallingly distressing background, this girl deserves treatment, not caging.

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/woman-jailed-threatening-kill-nhs-100618358.html

I expect the "Limp-wristed Left" will take my view, and the "Tyrannical Tories" will support the jail term. Be interesting to see how this pans out.

[dannyk13]

ZM, but it does not say anything about mental illness, nor does it explain what the childhood trauma was.I honestly don't think there is enough information to decide one way or another on how she should be dealt with.

[Zacs-Master]

It’s not just a lack of information tho, is it danny. We do not have the expertise to decide. Especially not the OP.

[barry1010]

The link does mention PTSD which is a recognised mental illness.

[woofgang]

Yes but the PTSD was offered as a defence and the article doesn't give any evidence of this.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Some people are just wrong un's plain and simple. Maybe they have had no parental guidance ( or not wanted any),maybe they have got in with the wrong crowd and decided its much more fun to skip school, smoke weed and go shop lifting. This is not a psychological illness! These offenders are often very intelligent and can work the system -many know the symptoms of more psychological illnesses than student doctors. PTSD? who told her she had that? She's looked it up on the net lol!

[jakep]

Some people never get a chance of leading a decent life.
Not all take the ‘wrong’ route but I can understand that some do not have the ability to right themselves.

[woofgang]

To be scrupulously fair APG, according to the article, it was the defence that raised the issue of PTSD

[barry1010]

If it is submitted by the defence there will be medical reports supporting the claim. She may well be a very clever psychopath who knows how to manipulate the medical profession or she could genuinely have PTSD.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Woofgang - exactly what I mean. It must be hard to gather a Defence for some like like that - so we will fabricate PTSD - a bit of coaching on what to say to the shrink.....I'm sure it happens all the time.

[AuntPollyGrey]

one does not have to be a clever psychopath to pretend to have PTSD. Its easy to read up on symptoms and fabricate a traumatic childhood.

[drmorgans]

You'll be suggesting she only apologised, expressing remorse, to get a reduced sentence next.

[shoota]

Every 'patch' has a small bunch of characters like this, recidivists who just cannot, or will not, play societies game.
The only way that works is to take them out of the loop for long enough to break the cycle and get them the treatment/rehabilitation they need.
It doesn't always work but it is better to take them out of circulation for an extended period of time rather than for a number of 'short, sharp shocks.'

[barry1010]

APG, don't you think the medical professionals are fully aware of that? They construct their reports to make their real opinions apparent using sentences such as 'Ms X made the first appointment recently on ... and claims to be suffering from ... and presents typical symptoms. Ms X has no prior history of .... and has not seen any other medical professional for this condition.'
The prosecution and judge can see through spurious claims.

[AuntPollyGrey]

barry1010 How do you know this? are you a medical professional? (serious question)

[woofgang]

I am...or was.....never did court reports but yes we learn how to write factual reports.

[retrocop]

Yes I remember court reports. We called them 'nut and gut' reports. As soon as the judge/magistrate remanded the accused for medical and mental reports into the tender mercies of some young naive prob/off we knew we were in for some hilarious jackanorys about the accused at the next appearance.Talk about a Get out of Jail card. sigh

[AuntPollyGrey]

Woofgang I would hope you did write factual reports :-)

Can a psychologist really see through someone feigning Anxiety or PTSD? And even if they can, they have to follow the BPS Code of Ethics so would they not be duty bound to produce an evidence based report, rather than their personal opinion?

[woofgang]

APG Barry1010's post is an excellent example. In the written stuff you stick to the objective verifiable facts facts (Joe Friday). If someone asks for an opinion based on one's experience and expertise then you give it but you are clear that it IS an opinion...and sometimes that opinion will be something like "yes she presented with symptoms but I couldn't find any evidence of any previous diagnosis or treatment."