SA Footy

Booney wrote:

amber_fluid wrote:He committed murder!
Cured or not, the prick belongs in jail!

No he didn't.

Legal jargon.
How about he butchered his father to death?

I feel like the basis of this debate is around people's perception of mental illness, not around the actions of Cy Walsh.

I agree there is a bigger argument at play here.

I also think there is a question over what is the role of the prison system?

If you view it as a punishment, then sending someone with mental health issues to gaol might be a bad thing.
If you view it as a location to store people who pose a risk to society, then sending someone with a history of killing another human might be a good thing.

For mine, I think people who pose a risk to other members of society should not be left to freely move within society.
I don't necessarily think they should be locked up in gen-pop of the local gaol, but I do believe they should be held within a mental health facility where they can't have unrestricted access to the general public.

If you pose a risk to society, society should be protected from you. Irrespective if that risk is as a result of your choice not to follow the rules, or if you don't have the mental capabilities to understand the rules, for mine, doesn't change the fact you should be removed from society. What it does change is how you should be removed. Murderers who choose to break the rules go to gaol, people with mental health issues go to health facilities for the rest of their lives.

Booney wrote:I feel like the basis of this debate is around people's perception of mental illness, not around the actions of Cy Walsh.

Nah not at all mate.
Plenty of people with mental illnesses are being treated and haven’t done such a terrible act.

He obviously went undiagnosed BUT that’s not the public’s fault.

I’m not sure how long he should stay in jail for but it sure as hell needs to be longer.

amber_fluid wrote:

Booney wrote:I feel like the basis of this debate is around people's perception of mental illness, not around the actions of Cy Walsh.

Nah not at all mate.
Plenty of people with mental illnesses are being treated and haven’t done such a terrible act.

He obviously went undiagnosed BUT that’s not the public’s fault.

I’m not sure how long he should stay in jail for but it sure as hell needs to be longer.

Given he's just been granted unsupervised leave from the facility there would still be numerous conditions attached, including a curfew and possibly of notifying them of his whereabouts.

heater31 wrote:

amber_fluid wrote:

Booney wrote:I feel like the basis of this debate is around people's perception of mental illness, not around the actions of Cy Walsh.

Nah not at all mate.
Plenty of people with mental illnesses are being treated and haven’t done such a terrible act.

He obviously went undiagnosed BUT that’s not the public’s fault.

I’m not sure how long he should stay in jail for but it sure as hell needs to be longer.

Given he's just been granted unsupervised leave from the facility there would still be numerous conditions attached, including a curfew and possibly of notifying them of his whereabouts.

I’m sure there is.
But does he deserve it?

It’s a NO from me

Trader wrote:I agree there is a bigger argument at play here.

I also think there is a question over what is the role of the prison system?

If you view it as a punishment, then sending someone with mental health issues to gaol might be a bad thing.
If you view it as a location to store people who pose a risk to society, then sending someone with a history of killing another human might be a good thing.

For mine, I think people who pose a risk to other members of society should not be left to freely move within society.
I don't necessarily think they should be locked up in gen-pop of the local gaol, but I do believe they should be held within a mental health facility where they can't have unrestricted access to the general public.

If you pose a risk to society, society should be protected from you. Irrespective if that risk is as a result of your choice not to follow the rules, or if you don't have the mental capabilities to understand the rules, for mine, doesn't change the fact you should be removed from society. What it does change is how you should be removed. Murderers who choose to break the rules go to gaol, people with mental health issues go to health facilities for the rest of their lives.

It used to be done back in the 1970s under what was called the "Criminal Law Consolidation Act". Basically anyone who was a declared "danger to the public" when they were found not guilty of a crime due to their mental ill health went to Z ward at Glenside or a similar one at Hillcrest. They could be released only if the Medical Superintendent signed a statement that they had been effectively treated and were safe to be released. Then they would be released under strict follow up conditions.

Back then, there was one young fellow found not guilty of the murder of his Aunt and Uncle, who had raised him, because the jury had been convinced he had a mental illness. The Superintendents of both hospitals held the opinion he was not mentally ill in any way that would make him not responsible for his actions at the time, but had a chronic sociopathic personality disorder for which there was no effective treatment. So neither of them believed they could ever sign the release document.

After some years, Don Dunstan had the law changed so the Parole Board could make the decision and he was released.

This is a really touchy subject and I get peoples angst.

I certainly don't think he should be locked in jail for the next 20 years when he needn't be.
Jail is a shit place for someone with his condition.
I can't begin to imagine how bad he feels for doing what he did.
I'm assuming he can't remember the actual event, but he'd obviously know now what he did.

On the other hand I understand people wanting him locked away for ever but I just don't think it achieves anything.
I do agree he needs to be in a facility morning and night with strict curfews no exceptions and that should continue until a panel agree he's zero rusk to the community.
If he @#cks up its on them.

heater31 wrote:

amber_fluid wrote:

Booney wrote:I feel like the basis of this debate is around people's perception of mental illness, not around the actions of Cy Walsh.

Nah not at all mate.
Plenty of people with mental illnesses are being treated and haven’t done such a terrible act.

He obviously went undiagnosed BUT that’s not the public’s fault.

I’m not sure how long he should stay in jail for but it sure as hell needs to be longer.

Given he's just been granted unsupervised leave from the facility there would still be numerous conditions attached, including a curfew and possibly of notifying them of his whereabouts.

That’s good then…he only has between 9am-5pm to lose the plot and murder someone again.

Jim05 wrote:If he re-offends every single person responsible for his release should see life time sentences too

And if he doesn't re-offend your life will never be impacted, Ill back in the experts here, he must have completed some significant recovery from where he was for him to have some freedoms.

Dutchy wrote:

Jim05 wrote:If he re-offends every single person responsible for his release should see life time sentences too

And if he doesn't re-offend your life will never be impacted, Ill back in the experts here, he must have completed some significant recovery from where he was for him to have some freedoms.

Ill back in the broken system here which sees the experts having to try and make room in the system for newcomers at the expense of our safety.

8 years on. RIP.