A mentally unstable serial killer. Prison or a mental institution?

[RBH]

This topic has been itcdhing me for a long while. it is too often where we see serial killers recieve the insane declaration after they commit their crimes. My question to you today is is this just? Should a man or woman who goes around killing people for what appears no reason recieve time in a mental asylum instead of prison where technically they would belong? I will use examples like BTK, right now he is recieving time in prison for his crimes and is not eligable for parole or a mental asylum while another man who killed 6 people at a college campus for no reason is in a mental asylum for the rest of his life. Should people who commit several crimes for what seems no reason be penalized by jail or should they be 'cured' with placement in an asylum?

My opinion. I believe that a person who has a medical condition should not be on the streets to begin with. They should be in care or in an asylum and if they have family members, thos family members must ensure that their relative get the help they need. However, when said person goes around killing people, what does it say to those family members of the victims when the person charged with the crime is placed in an asylum instead of jail? I place myself in the spot of the victims family and I would want justice and to me, being placed in an asylum does not constitute justice. What do you guys think?

 

[Sparky]

Really I think it depends. you can be mentally unstable but still know what your doing. if the guy really doesnt know what he is doing it should be a mental instituit. they have better care for him but they are also keeping him and everybody else safe.

It should be done this way He/she can get the treatment they need. I dont think it would be classed as punishment as much. If they put him in jail then he is putting all the cellmates and himself at risk and dangering peoples lives. The prison is no place for a mentally unstable person they dont have the resourserce or the patient.

If a mentally unstable person was to kill a family member i would want him to be locked up yes but not in jail odds are he didnt know what he was doing. I would want him to be seen to and get better rather then to be thrown into a cell never to be thought of again.

when your in jail you do the time then get out no matter what, your back on the streets a clean man. at least in the hospital you dont get realesed until they think your better or "sane" enough. wich is better becouse they will most likely not do something like that again.

 

[My$terio_Fan]

I agree, if a person comits murder I want them in prison and not in an asylum. People who kill others(except if its self-defence or such) are obviously not all there to begin with so anyone could claim a mental condition to get a better sentence. If a person really is mentally unstable, I feel they should get medical treatment, but in prision. You hear all the time about somebody murdering people who are mentally unstable get off easier or with less time, since they were not in their right mind. If a person who has a mental problem kills someone who says they wont do it again. Medication will only help so much and thats if they take the medication in the first place. Somebody close to my community decapitated an older couple. He claimed his was on a "secret military mission" so he had to do it. The guy was obviously nuts but now he's in an asylum and I dont think its enough. And if the guy over the years, gets help and medication he is more likely to seem "normal" and more likely to get out sooner. This to me is crazy, to think this guy could someday get out because he seems "normal" again. He should rot in prision with the rest of the killers but should at least get in-house treatment. If someone kills my family, I dont care if their "crazy", I want them to be punished to the fullest and an asylum is not enough.

 

[Sparky]

I agree, if a person comits murder I want them in prison and not in an asylum. People who kill others(except if its self-defence or such) are obviously not all there to begin with

Now i think that is crap. there is so many reasons you could kill somebody. it dont mean they have a mental ilness. you could snap easilly it dont mean your mentally unfit.

so anyone could claim a mental condition to get a better sentence.

Now days it is easy to tell if somebody is faking or not. but if iit was obvious they had a mental ilness before they did it its sort of obvious aint it?

If a person really is mentally unstable, I feel they should get medical treatment, but in prision.

But in a prison they can be realesed after the time is up even if they are still unwell. even get out on good behaviour. I would still rather know he gets better and wont do it again. you lock a mentally unfit up somewhere they are going to do stupid things. its a fact. but if they are in a psych ward they aint really locked up.

You hear all the time about somebody murdering people who are mentally unstable get off easier or with less time,

im not saying they should only do it for a short period of time. keep them in there until they are better they and everybody else is much safer that way.

And if the guy over the years, gets help and medication he is more likely to seem "normal" and more likely to get out sooner.

They do get better, and if they stay on their meds its fine. and they do get better.

This to me is crazy, to think this guy could someday get out because he seems "normal" again.

but you can get out early etc. at least in a psych ward you cant get out until your medically cleared.

He should rot in prision with the rest of the killers but should at least get in-house treatment. If someone kills my family, I dont care if their "crazy", I want them to be punished to the fullest and an asylum is not enough.

Whats stopping them killing more people in the jail? at least in the psych ward the people looking after them know what they are doing and how to handle the situation properly.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

I think they should be put into solitary confinement. With special supervision. If they are in a mental institution they have much more contact with other members of it. They need to be in prison but under solitary confinement. They did something wrong and no matter if they are mentally unstable or not they should pay. They don't deserve to be with others, but they need to be kept watched over. So yeah prison, but solitary confinement.

 

[Shocky]

They need to be studied. A good psychologist can tell if someone is simply using the insanity plea as a way to get out of hard jail time or not. The people that are legitimately sick need to be studied to find out what makes them sick.

Now it's not sympathy, but rather for the name of science. Are there actual physical factors that cause someone to break down into a viscous psychotic killer, and if so, how would you stop them from happening. The person more then likely will be either in jail or an asylum the rest of their lives, why not use that opportunity to understand that a little more.

 

[HBK-aholic]

I agree Shocky, they should be studied. Used for medical research. It would help this thing happening again. If just one person says we can't because that's breaching human rights I think I'd have to kill them and get myself sent to prison, as I would be pleading they were insane, not me.

I don't think it matters too much where they are, aslong as they're away from society. In prison, yeah they killed someone, it's where they belong. But at the same time they're ill. And can we really punish them to that extent for having an illness? The main point should be that we keep the public safe, whether that can be done more in an institution or prison.