Posted on 10/11/2019 12:50:36 AM PDT by richardb72
Everyone wants to stop dangerous people from getting guns. The hot new policy option before this committee is Red Flag laws, which take away the guns of people deemed dangerous to themselves or others. But there is a much more effective alternative already in place.
They are known as Baker Act statutes (Pennsylvania’s is called the “Mental Health Procedures Act”), and have been around since the early 1970s. They allow police, doctors and family members to have someone typically held in most states for a 72-hour mental health examination based upon a simple reasonableness test – little more than a guess or a hunch. The hold in Pennsylvania is up to 120 hours.
These laws focus on mental illness, and they require that the individual be evaluated by mental-health-care experts. If a person can’t afford a lawyer, a public defender is provided. While judges can involuntarily commit an individual they believe is a danger to themselves or others, there is a range of options they can take, with the threat that other options can be followed up with involuntary commitment.
However, instead of using these laws, 17 states have now adopted Red Flag laws, with 13 states passing them since the shootings at the high school in Parkland, Fla. While Red Flag laws are often discussed in terms of mental illness and they are frequently used in connection with concerns about suicide, only one state’s law even mentions mental illness and none of the states requires that a mental-health expert be involved in evaluating the person.
And, unlike Baker Act statutes, these new laws don’t offer safeguards, such as providing a public defender for individuals who can’t afford a lawyer or covering their legal costs. When faced with legal bills that can easily amount to $10,000. . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at broadandliberty.com ...
My dad (who grew up in the 1930s of Alabama) made the observation around three decades ago, that it didn’t take much for a county judge to apprehend a ‘nutcase’.
You’d write a letter describing the person, and have two relatives sign the letter. The judge would send deputies over and have the guy/gal appear. If you went lousy with this interview....they’d deliver you to a state facility for 30 days of control.
That one letter and two relatives were all it took. Judges didn’t waste any effort...if you weren’t safe to allow into the general public....you didn’t remain with the general public.
So the only reason all progressives/dems/socialists aren’t in a mental health facility is because no one called the police yet?
Well heck; let’s get this button pushing party started!
/s
Not anymore. Britney spears is an example. She had to hold her kid hostage before amything could be done. Amanda bynes had to set her dog on fire. The writer clearly has never dealt with a real life example.
Aaron carter is yet another example.
I have dealt with it. VA workers were actually able to get someone to the hospital in a full blown paranoia attack..only to have that person released. No one could believe it..fortunately it didnt end in tragedy
And they will burn in eternity for it.
In my town there was a young man (23 years old) that just had all of his weapons confiscated for a minimum of 14 days. A nearby city was running some sort of operation on the internet, and came across the guy’s facebook post and alerted our town. Had him posing with his AK and the caption “Can’t wait to see the new Joker movie.”
They didn’t charge him with anything. Didn’t arrest him. Just took his guns away.
I’m sure glad when I was that age we didn’t have facebook, and the stupid stuff I said or did was confined to a couple of buddies.
They arent done with him. They are trying to get a full hold.
It amazes me that those that have never dealt with mental illness think it is easy
k.morse went to police and said he was a danger. Baker act led to him being evaluated. Mother pleaded with facility to keep him longer and give treatment. He killed people A few days later.
I think the move away from locking people up in lunatic asylums is part of the reason we have more dangerously mentally ill wandering the streets like ticking time bombs. That is why you didn’t have mass shooting incidents even when guns where easier to get hold of.
nice article
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