NT Laws

[Estelle]

I'm sure the NT is a lovely place to visit, but I don't think I would want to live there!!!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-25/mentally-impaired-being-held-in-nt-prisons-without-conviction/4091940

Imagine trying that in Sydney or Melbourne??

What's up with the Gov't?   They seem to have no idea. Taking the easy way out? They need to try harder, a lot harder!

[TOPNDR]

It's not just the NT. A chap was released from WA gaol within the last 12 months having served some 20 years WITHOUT conviction.  He was also mentally handicapped.   

[Estelle]

It's not just the NT. A chap was released from WA gaol within the last 12 months having served some 20 years WITHOUT conviction.  He was also mentally handicapped.   

I have a feeling there are similar laws in all States. Unbelievable.

Gee I'm glad we are an advanced civilised community 

[drrnadms]

There is to side to this what about the people who murder and them claim mental illness eg Clyde GAMBERIAL who murder a girl on the gold coast gets away with it and never serves a day in Gaol there is not many mental health institution around anymore so some people need to be held somewhere for there safety and the general public. There is no perfect answer.

Darren 

[dazzler]

What's up with the Gov't?   They seem to have no idea. Taking the easy way out? They need to try harder, a lot harder!

If they are mentally not capable of pleading then they cant plead to the charges. You either let them go back into the community or you detain them for their safety and the communities.

I am not 100% sure what the answer is.

At least they are doing this;

"One of the Territory's answers to the dilemma of having the mentally impaired in prison is a complex next door to the Alice Springs jail.

The safe and secure facility will be opened in the next few months. It will house eight adults and eight young people.

Ms Lawrie says a similar facility will also open in Darwin, as well as a specialist forensic health facility that will open in 2014."

I will tell you a story.  About 15 yrs ago there was a fella in the town I worked in that thought he was the reincarnation of a scottish medieval war hero.  He was involved in lots of altercations with people but was not mentally capable of being charged.  We would arrest him, then take him up to the hospital and schedule him as a mental patient.  There was no practical way of keeping him from harming himself or others.  Still dont know why but the hospital would keep him for a while then release him.

After a couple of years he found a bloke he thought was an english soldier from the middle ages.  He beat him to death.

[Estelle]

Indeed.

I'm suggesting Govt's are not trying hard enough. Been going on forever.

Just wipe their hands of them and save money closing "Mental Asylums" or locations where these people have a chance to recover or in some cases where there is no chance of recovery, a place to keep themselves and others from harm. Gaol is not the place.

They have been thrown into the too hard basket.

Not good enough.

Knew a fellow who could feel himself losing it and would book into 'Hospital' until he was better. No harm to anyone. Very smart bloke. Just happened to be on the border.

How many are like that but don't see it coming. To a great extent, the human mind is still a mystery.

Ed: I have no idea of the answer either, but the Gov't can't just discard these people.
White folk with these problems have little hope. The indigenous folk have even less.

[dazzler]

Its hard all right.  Spose there are no votes in mental health issues