Globe Spotlight Team investigates link between mental illness and violent crime
The Boston Globe
‘s award-winning Spotlight Team has released the first installment of its newest series on Friday, exploring the devastating effect of the state’s decision to shutter antiquated mental health hospitals without installing a support system in its place. As a result, mental health patients flood emergency rooms across the state, waiting for a place to go.
Massachusetts, which prides itself as a leader in health care, spends less per capita on mental health care than any other New England state except Rhode Island, according to the report. The result is a public health care and public safety crisis that is largely preventable.
Between 2005 and 2015, 116 people with mental illness were accused of killing 139 victims.
Studies show that people with serious mental illness are not more prone to violence when they get the help they need. However, the Spotlight Team found that the following three key factors often led to a mentally ill person committing murder: lack of treatment, failure to take medications, and the abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs.
Marylou Sudders, who oversees mental health care in the state, told the Globe Spotlight Team that mental health care in Massachusetts is poorly organized and grossly underfunded.
“Families are the primary caregivers, if the person is lucky to have a family and that family has stayed with them through their journey,” she said.
Arthur DaRosa killed two people in Taunton last month hours after he was released from a hospital. Relatives said he had threatened suicide and talked about the devil poisoning the minds of his kids before he committed the crimes and was killed by an off-duty depty sheriff.
Read the full report in the Globe.
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