Shackling of mentally ill foster kids in Dade, Broward courts in question

[Judi Lynn]

Shackling of mentally ill foster kids in Dade, Broward courts in question
Judges and advocates are questioning whether it's right to restrain mentally ill foster children in court. But some say they have no choice.

Posted on Sun, Aug. 31, 2008
BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER
[e-mail]

Last month, a 16-year-old Broward County girl was brought into Circuit Judge John A. Frusciante's courtroom for a hearing. She was handcuffed, her legs shackled with cloth restraints, with two armed deputies leading her by the arm.

Her offense? She's never been charged with one. A mentally ill foster child who was neglected by her mother and wound up in a psychiatric center, the teen was being restrained to keep her from running away, her attorney said.

The girl, who is not being identified to protect her privacy, is among roughly 2,200 foster children in psychiatric centers in Florida recovering from abuse and neglect.

Now, the practice of restraining mentally ill foster children in court is prompting questions in both Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/666137.html

[villager]

1. and of course the truly dangerously metnally ill -- in the White House -- go free...

n/t

[Diclotican]

2. Judi Lynn

Judi Lynn

Are you living in the middle ages over there? When it come to this type of illness????

Good greef, you don't do that, you treat them with the necessary medical help. You don't put them in hand cuts and restrain them.. Why do you think this kids are believing, when they indeed are ill?. And be treated like this?.. They ar sick kids, and afraid as hell.. And they have to be treated like this?????

You cant be arrested and hold in prison because you are METALY ILL. If you are a sick kid, you should at least get the medicial help the kid need, to get well.. It is the obligation of the State to treat their weakest link properly..

I have myself been a foster kid, but I was luckily to have foster parents who was there for my brother and me. It was not easy to help us the way we needed, but they got true, and both I and my brother have good know how many seasons with help before we was "put together" as some normal kids again.. It was a hard road to go, but it looks like they have doing the right thing after all then...

This is barbaric, no less.. And is not the way you treat ill kids

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[Sanity Claws]

3. It is barbaric

Nothing wrong with your English.
I'm glad you got the care you needed it. What country were you in?

[Diclotican]

5. search of sanity

search of sanity

It is barbaric, plain and simple.. And it is verry bad to if I may say it.

For the most part I and my brother was given the help we needed, when we was needed it.. It took many year to get us both where we are today. But I would say, it was wort it.. Better to have have other way, and wel, i would not even think where I would be then..

I am living in Norway, a little country in the north of europe.

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[Judi Lynn]

4. It really sounds like the middle ages, doesn't it? I felt SICK reading the opening of that article.

It appears generally people have simply lost their way altogether. If anyone needed thoughtful, personal, calm, reassuring presence in a new, unfamiliar, frightening situation it's a young human being who feels completely alone in the world, completely unprotected, vulnerable, helpless. My God.

What chance would he or she have WITHOUT the slightest bit of concern, or respect from a simple gesture or word from those around him/her? To be thrust formally into the official adult world wearing restraints that identify you as a criminal would be devastating to young people who are emotionally lost, confused, abandoned, frightened, disoriented, panic stricken, broken hearted, overwhelmed.

The good part of this is that at last some people are starting to question this method of dealing with these young people. Maybe it will lead to a more enlightened manner of treating these young men and women with the respect they need and deserve as human beings, as young minds and spirits on their way to either greater health, or greater darkness and alienation.

Always enjoy and appreciate your efforts to share with other D.U.'ers. You get your message through clearly. You can be sure so many of us couldn't ever hope to do even half as well as you in a 2nd language.

Would never guess you had those experiences, as you have projected such a positive, perceptive, active presence here in your comments. Really have to admire your energy, intelligence, and courage. You sound very well anchored, for sure!

[Diclotican]

6. Judi Lynn

Judi Lynn

I for one can't understand why we as humans have to treat our "weaker ones" worse than the rest of the group. Either it is against sick people or against mentally ill people who deserve to be treated better.. I know that many mentally ill people would be aggressive, and maybe not thinking rationally about the most of things.. But for the most part, they are people who can be reasoned with... And today it is no need for hand cups, and angle chains.. We have a lot of medical help, to keep the worst illness away.. To the people who need it... And specially when it come to young children, and youths we can do a lot, behavior control and such like that, to get their act together, so with some help when they are growing up, and are grown up, can live meaningfully life, as best they can.. with their abilities that is...
Many who are sick, are not dumb, they have just get on a wrong foot some where and need help to get into it again.. And with help, and medicine more than 80 prosent of every one who are ill, can live "normal" life's, with some help, and some medicine.. Maybe even 95 percent can do it, with the necessary help and medicine.. But off course, it is far more easy to put them into the prison system, at an young age, and hold them there, for the rest of their life.. Many sources are telling that more than 10 procent of the american prison population have mental disorders in one way or another.. And I would believe it to be the same in most Western prison systems to.. They are inside prison because they act badly... When inside, they are getting the care they need. But on the outside their often stop using the medicine, and therefore would end up in prison again... And again, and again for the most of their life..

When you have a disorder as an young child, you can be helped. And it is fare more expensive to "repair" a ill mind in grown up age, than in an age when you can be helped to be a "better" or "more normal" people.. And many who have not be given the help they are in need of get, would end up,either in the gutter as dead, or in the prison system.. Even if their parents have doing their best to help... I do not know about the numbers are when the children/youth are getting the help they have been needed to be, but I would guess it to be far better than the opposite is...

Maybe, when I am using the english language, and have to use the best word for what I am writing, then the message are coming true clearly. I have to

I believe in the goodness of people even if proven wrong, as I have been a lot of times. And as for my past, I don't believe it to be a hinderer for my. I would rather guess it is a "baggage" that I can use to reflect on many things, and maybe even learn a lot from in my life.. Have been in one system or another since the age 4 when the children's service was taking my, and my brother from our parents.. But thankfully we came to good foster parents, and I have to say, they are our real parents today.. Yes both my brother and I have had contact with our biological parents, my father died this summer. And we have good contact with our mother still. But even then, "home" is where our foster parents are... And I guess my mother understand that..

Home, we was given a decent upbringing. As best of my foster parents abilities that is.. And yes, we are pretty well "anchored" to where we should be too I guess... Down to earth upbringing so to speak.. And it have worked good, even that I fear that some of the gray hear are from them been wondering what the hell should they do next with us.. We could be a handful for them sometimes when we was younger I am afraid.. But they managed to get us to understand thing I guess.. But then, they both have had kids before, together with my and my brother they have had 7 kids to grow up, and non of them have been an "bad Apple" either.. But good decent grown ups..

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language