Therapy critical for schizophrenic ex-convicts as a way of preventing violence

Leanne Jenkins--A man goes into a shopping mall with an assault rifle and large amounts of ammunition for loading and reloading. It's a common story of modern times to watch the events unfold, where the man ends up killing innocent people, then turning the gun on himself, and the description of the perpetrator includes confused thoughts and anger and the assumptions of mental illness. But does psychoses create violence and under what circumstances?

Recent medical research findings shows psychosis increases the risk of violent behavior among released prisoners and treatment reduces this risk. A group of released prisoners suffering schizophrenia was studied with the results showing that without treatment, psychotic individuals have a greater chance of violence. Follow up treatment, therefore, becomes important following prison for those who have schizophrenia.

The research is further evidence that those who have schizophrenia should have intervention and therapy, as it is a key to preventing violence. It also establishes the need for follow up of those who are schizophrenic who have been in prison and released, as too often violence can occur if ongoing therapy is not provided. Experts remind us of the need for better screening and treatment of prisoners as way of reducing recidivism and the possibilities of a former inmate becoming involved in a violent crime. This is particularly important because mentally ill ex-inmates lack treatment and medications, which increases the risk of violence in our society. 

The ethics of modern weaponry viewed through the prism of the Coloradoshooting

[caption id="attachment_15848" align="alignleft" width="235"] Assault Rifle[/caption]

Carol Forsloff — As the publisher of Green Heritage News, I set a standard not to be argumentative in politics, which means respect for government leaders as persons in the tradition of rendering unto Caesar what is his. But commentaries with respect to specific social issues, as they relate to humanitarian principles are important, and no more is that of greater significance than in the instance of killing others, for it is that inhumanity that brings all people shame.

Today in Colorado, a solitary gunman shot 71 people. The specific details are reported by the media, and it is not those details that are the focus of my opinion article today. Instead it is the confusion we have with respect to bearing arms and how we ignore both basic faith, scientific, ethical, and moral principles when we uphold certain rights that interfere with the actualization of those rights of others and facilitate the perpetuation of violence.

Rather than enter into the Second Amendment discussions, for there are bound to be many in these days, instead the focus should be on the value of life itself. For every man's life has value. In the rush to judgment and the sensationalism of the Colorado shooting that is forgotten. 12 people are dead. Many others will lose their lives with the proliferation of guns; yet there are people of faith that nevertheless tout the rights to weapons virtually as a religious edict.

While interpretation of Biblical scripture is presented as the foundation for man's right to bear arms, along with Constitutional arguments, the weapons of Biblical days were far less capable of creating the widespread killing of an assault rifle or a manufactured bomb.

In a world where toxic speech continues and where anger rises and people confront each other in anonymous ways to spew hatred and vindictive argument, weapons capable of creating mass killings become even more awful. One might say a crazy man is simply that, and it is the person who kills, not the weapon. Yet, without the weapon, the killings are far fewer, although the value of a single life remains.

As the publisher of Green Heritage News, I welcome people of all faiths and beliefs to share with the staff of this magazine, and many others, in mourning lives lost in Colorado today.