Comments on: Update: Century Man’s 10 Recent Arrests Have Cost Taxpayers Estimated $24,505

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:42:34 +0000

REGARDING:
“. . . . they know full well that putting these people in jail does not help them it actually hurts them. The mental health system in Escambia County is beyond broken. These folks commit acts that are “illegal” but many of them really have no idea that what they are seeing or believing is out of the norm. ”

All well and good, but at some point the safety of others surely must come into consideration

By: kjohnson

kjohnson — Thu, 27 May 2010 04:42:50 +0000

The judges may have it more right than people are willing to accept. They see the mentally ill, mentally retarded, etc. every day and they know full well that putting these people in jail does not help them it actually hurts them. The mental health system in Escambia County is beyond broken. These folks commit acts that are “illegal” but many of them really have no idea that what they are seeing or believing is out of the norm. It can be quite frightening for their families when they are trying to deal with the situation and they reach out to law enforcement who in turn do what they can to defuse the situation, take them to jail or to Lakeview CSU. A coin toss most times no doubt.

Then some of you say haul them off, use the Baker Act, well fortunately the Baker Act protects everyone, it is a short term intervention. None of you would want to be put in a mental hospital and the key thrown away because someone said “lock him up”. Folks that used to happen.

It is a terrible Catch 22. Too much or too little.
Most experienced judges know this you just think they are being lenient.

By: kjohnson

kjohnson — Thu, 27 May 2010 04:32:55 +0000

schizophrenia is a terrible disease. It is considered the “thief” of youth as it generally manifests in the early 20’s. Really do you people have no empathy?
Terri Sanders why are you getting so aggressive and negative in your blogging? Why are you so angry about everything?
William why are you stoking the fires?
24,000 dollars—that is wasted every day in many ways by government. we spend many times that every time we send up a helicopter in Iraq/Afghanistan. I don’t hear any of you complaining.
An example of waste: retired men who may have served a minimum of three months or more in a branch of the military who have medicare but insist on going to the VA as well—double dipping in the taxpayers pockets. “they owe it to me” they say/ “they” are taxpayers by the way.
“handouts” happen every day in every way imaginable. This is not a handout for this man. One blogger had it right, this man should spend some time in a psychiatric hospital not jail. We are going to spend the money on somebody anyway so he might as well get treatment as opposed to being in jail where he would get no treatment for his disease.

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:21:53 +0000

truth,
Yumus was quoting Erin who seemed to think this was separate from the taxes we already pay for law enforcement.

Just a little confusion.

By: truth

truth — Wed, 26 May 2010 14:43:04 +0000

:YUMUS B KIDDING: really? YOU are going to ask “Why the heck should we have to pay for people to stay in jail? We have to pay to be safe?” Common sense should answer that itself. I have no problem paying for my safety. IT IS NOT THE POLICE’S decision to decide the fate of these people who are continually arrested and charged. That decision belongs to the Judge. And the Judge alone. Learn the legal system before you open your mouth. And if you think so negatively about police… call a crackhead to help you next time because your post incinuates they could help you better.
And Also, If he commits crimes, regarless of his mental capacity.. What eles do you want done? Do you want him left ont he street to hurt anyone else? The county(nor anyone else)has a special department or people to call out with the police because he is mental… annnndd if they did, it would probably be the tax payers that pay for them. COMMON SENSE.

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Tue, 25 May 2010 23:14:14 +0000

REGARDING:
“. . . oh he got stupider as he got older! ”

It DOES happen.

You wouldn’t know it but I used to be smarter than the average bear. I could be wrong, but driving and drinking strike me as being smart-challenged.

Taking away one’s license indicates our forgiving government no longer thinks he has the mental capacity or at least driving skills to do so safely.

And when you consider who all IS still driving, that’s scary.

David who had to slam on brakes and cut right hard
to avoid killing someone who pulled out in my path last night

By: Terri Sanders

Terri Sanders — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:04:45 +0000

David,he had to have a drivers license before they could take them away from him.At some point he passed a test…oh he got stupider as he got older!

By: Yumus B Kidding

Yumus B Kidding — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:43:01 +0000

“Question: Why the heck should we have to pay for people to stay in jail? We have to pay to be safe? Somehow that seems a little redundant to me. Government should pay to keep us safe. In this scenario, why not just pay them when they try to rob us, shoot us, rape us, murder us, etc. and just let it end there. I’m sure the police would love that. “Oh no! No more money for Whataburger!””

You are kidding right? How is the goverment going to pay for anything without the citizens footing the bill? Do you think the Goverment works part time at McDonalds?

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Tue, 25 May 2010 04:57:18 +0000

REGARDING:
“he is able to drive a car…. got a license,so he is able to read and comprehend things”

I thought they took his license away.

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Tue, 25 May 2010 04:55:08 +0000

REGARDING:
” …..Newton’s 377 days have cost taxpayers $24,505 in housing costs.

“And that does not count any medical costs,” Rawson said. In general, the average medical costs per inmate in the Escambia County jail are $10 per day, but she said some inmates could have medical costs of several hundred dollars per month while other may have no medical costs and take no medications.”

At which point somebody usually says, “It’s cheaper to send him to Harvard than to lock him up>”

To which all right-thinking people cry out, “Great Idea! Send him to Harvard!! If all else fails, at least he’ll be in Cambridge, Massachusetts!”

David thinking they should appreciate the diversity