Suse, what do you mean "...a book I won't like..."? The book confirmed things I'd previously suspected and filled some gaps in my understanding of what took place over more than a 10 year period. I only bought the much cheaper ebook version from Amazon and the book launch only cost me $10 and I got that back in wine and cheese after the event lol.

In what way would an improved mental health system have made a difference in a case like Batty's?

"She is making something positive happen.." Well on that I'd have to agree...she has even got Mark Latham and Miranda Devine speaking about what she is doing.

Roscop, I am not interested in an argument over this, but all I know is an article I read stated that Luke's father had a diagnosed mental illness, so I assume, as he bashed his boy to death in front of all those people at the oval, that whatever treatment he had been prescribed either wasn't working or he wasn't taking it.

I was also thinking of the son of that Adelaide football coach who allegedly killed his father and injured his mother in another fatal domestic violence incident, who was also reported to have been suffering years of mental illness.
I just feel that the system has failed these people and indirectly led to the deaths of their relatives.

Not all domestic violence is caused by mental illness of course, but substance abuse can lead to drug or alcohol induced psychosis, which can lead to usually gentle people being violent...especially to their own family.
But hey, never let the truth get in the way of a good story aye?

Hi there SUSEONLINE...

I agree with much of what you've written, however we must be ever vigilant that we don't manufacture excuses for those individuals who've been arrested and subsequently convicted of Domestic Violence.

Far too often Defence Counsel seek to excuse their clients culpability for their criminality, rather than taking responsibility for their actions. Often down in the Court cells area, you'll hear many of these boofheads loudly exclaim '...I told the silly old bastard (Judge or Magistrate) me Dad used to give me a decent floggin' for nuthing that's where I learn't to hit other people to get me way ...' or similar language ?

While it might be argued, if these events 'did' actually occur during the offender's formative years, it still doesn't excuse his present culpability, rather it goes in some way to show mitigation perhaps ? As you'd be well aware there are many Defence Counsels who'll engage in some very unscrupulous practices to gain an acquittal for their client ? The more 'not guiltys' the more money they'll earn !

You quite rightly opined SUSEONLINE, that many years of substance abuse can adversely change a persons thinking and reasoning altogether, therefore leading to God knows what ? Everyday there're accounts in the media of terrible violence occasioned upon some poor bugger with the perpetrator on ICE or something as equally potent ? We're now living in a chemically induced environment, I think ?

o sung wu, I had a different take on Suseonline's post. Not that there was any excusing of the crime but highlighting that there appears to have been plenty of indicators leading up to the crime that the offenders life was falling apart and his mental state was deteriating but there seem to be very limited options to deal with that due to significant cut backs to mental health services.

In that I agree. If you are already in financial trouble or on the edge of it then mental health services seem out of reach for many even if they are emotionally up to adding another thing into the mix.

I do have some views on the role that our legal system contributes to some peoples breakdown which have been expressed with some frequency on OLO and I'm not close enough to the detail in that specific case to have an opinion about it.

I do agree with the point that you make though. My take on it, there comes a point where the failings of upbringing, circumstance, education etc ar not an excuse for adult choices that harm others.

R0bert

Hi there ROBERT...

In your third paragraph you mentioned the role the legal system has, in contributing to the mental breakdown that some people experience ? And I couldn't agree with you more.

All strata of our contemporary legal system, fails miserably many of those poor souls who suffer from mental illness ?

Commencing naturally with police; Many of whom are inadequately trained to satisfactorily interdict those with mental illness, as evidenced by several unfortunate police shootings over recent years. And generally are not (collectively) as empathetic or sympathetic as they could and should be ?

The next, and my favorite group - the Judiciary; It is they who are safely ensconced in their well insulated and salubrious legal chambers, therefore allowing them to drift into this 'ersatz' style of conviction, that it's only they who are entitled to exercise a certain level of academic arrogance, which permits them (as the perceived 'erudite' judiciary) to nurture this specious belief they're the sole repository of all wisdom and knowledge associated with 'setting right' most of society's ills. Unfortunately for many, they adjudicate accordingly ?

And finally the Correctional facilities (gaol, boob, 'the go slow'?) who's function it is, to protect the community from these mentally ill ne'er do wells, with the mandate to return them to society as a cured, rehabilitated individuals ? And we all know how well, the third strata of Justice, has succeeded ? ROBERT I could write a hundred pages and all I'd succeed in doing is to further bore you with this stuff !

Clearly the Justice system has let down many of the chronically, mentally ill people in our society. We can only hope governments of the future recognise these necessitous groupings and their urgent needs, and allocate more funding, in a real effort of making their lives a whole lot better ?

Well put o sung wu. In my view our systems are often run far too much as silos with little concern about the overall effectiveness of them to achieve what they are tasked with doing.

R0bert