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Originally Posted by Elphaba
No, it is NOT 20/20 hindsight, nor is it CYA. That is the freakin' law.
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I'm well aware, you misunderstood (or I wrote it weird). He didn't present danger to himself or others, therefore they could not hold him, by law. What I was saying in the "20/20 hindsight" department was related to brushing off a seemingly depressed college student (there are tons of them) and then the later different between saying you brushed him off or saying you couldn't do anything. He wouldn't have been brushed off if he exhibited any behavior that would allow lawful involuntary admission to a hospital facility. Since he didn't actually make any threat to himself... brushed off with the rest.
The physician's report on his evaluation back in December 2005 (so, over a year ago, not exactly "recent"):
http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/images/04/18/cho.pdf
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Oriented x 4. Affect is flat and mood is depressed. He denies suicidal ideation. He does not acknowledge symptoms of a thought disorder. His insight and judgment are normal.
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In plain english, for those who want it:
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Knows who he is, where he is, when it is, and what's going on (is aware of what's happening and what happed to get him there). His demeanor is flat and seems depressed. He denies thinking about committing suicide. He exhibits no signs of thought disorder when questioned to elicit such signs. His insight and judgment are normal.
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That, right there, is a wholly unremarkable, very normal, completely uninteresting profile of a kid who is simply depressed, but not suicidal. Nothing special whatsoever.
From everything I've heard of his latest behavior, he added a little anger from the breakup (also totally normal) and stalked some girls.
Stalking (if it was proven- innocent until proven guilty, even if you're dead) has nothing to do with homicide, whatsoever.
Everyone can say it could have been prevented, could have "seen it coming"... but really, there's nothing to suggest it in the facts.
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Originally Posted by Jetstream
If we are more readily-able to detect the effects of deppression in our fellow neighbors,
then maybe we are more likely to contain the negative response that might stem from such mental illnesses.
Then, a chance could arise that we will be able to effectively reduce such horrific occurences as this one.
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Depression statistic:
"Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year."
You take the first 9.4 million, i'll get started on the other half. If you find any homicidal maniacs, let me know.
Then we'll go after the 10 to 15% of all teens who show some signs of depression at any given time.