Focus on recovery over punishment

I wonder if we can shift the emphasis of the judicial system from one of punishment to one of cure and recovery.

Mark Becker, of course, is a tragedy, but he illustrates a problem we have in our judicial system. The criminals who engage in violent and criminal behavior are often delusional or have hallucinations. They need to be treated, not punished.

A flippant attitude is not a good way of dealing with someone who is disturbed. You can't assume they will “get over it.” You don't solve a problem by saying “be tough.”

For starters, we could cure mental health problems of criminals before they go to trial. Then they could accurately assess the gravity of their situation. The incorrect argument often made is that the jury could be swayed by the criminal's erratic behavior during the trial if the criminal is not treated. But the criminal may not know what hit him if he's not thinking correctly.

Let's turn our prisons into treatment facilities, not just places to punish.

Al Swegle

Cedar Rapids