Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Holy cow failed system
The good news is that the university did take everyone seriously two years ago (teachers Lucinda Roy and Nikki Giovanni, and the two (or more) girls who reported that Cho was stalking them). Cho was detained for evaluation but was assigned to an apparently unobservant psychiatrist named Roy Crouse who concluded that out-patient care was sufficient because Cho's "insight and judgment are normal". Which means what, exactly? That he knew what day of the week it was? That he could name the planets? Anyone who's been anywhere near psychiatry knows that even depressed and very upset people can "present" superbly and seem peachy if they need to. Anyway, even with that evaluation, a judge certified that Cho presented "an imminent danger to others as a result of mental illness" (no kidding) and ordered follow-up treatment. But Cho never showed up and in all this time apparently no one bothered to see how his oh-so-normal insight and judgment were doing. Geez louise. Boy, if I were a parent at VT, I'd sure think about channeling my rage into seeing about suing the heck out of Dr. Crouse and trying to get his license revoked. It wouldn't change a thing, of course, but it would be the closest I could come to doing something. What the heck good is it when a system does have safeguards but fails to use them?!
P.S. Did Cho's high school teachers or his family never notice how badly off he was, and did they ever try to intervene? And if they did try, and failed, why wasn't he sent for residential treatment? (I'm sure we'll hear, eventually.) Some people are just evil and seem to appear out of nowhere but Cho's rampage seems to have been preventable, which is crushingly sad.
P.S. Did Cho's high school teachers or his family never notice how badly off he was, and did they ever try to intervene? And if they did try, and failed, why wasn't he sent for residential treatment? (I'm sure we'll hear, eventually.) Some people are just evil and seem to appear out of nowhere but Cho's rampage seems to have been preventable, which is crushingly sad.
Labels: headlines, reflections
Permalink | 
| posted by jau at 5:58 PM
DADvocate — at 11:12 PM, April 18, 2007:
Barb the Evil Genius — at 11:57 AM, April 19, 2007:
— at 2:10 PM, April 19, 2007:
— at 3:58 PM, April 19, 2007:
jau — at 4:00 PM, April 19, 2007:
| posted by jau at 5:58 PM
7 more:
DADvocate — at 11:12 PM, April 18, 2007:
I agree with dick s. on this plus the mental health system failed miserably, which doesn't surprise me. Having worked in a mental health center, I witnessed plenty of lackidasial attitudes about the welfare of patients who failed to show up for treament.
The general attitude was, "Oh well, he/she will return if they really want help." It was also common for the mental health worker to overrate their own skills, etc.
The general attitude was, "Oh well, he/she will return if they really want help." It was also common for the mental health worker to overrate their own skills, etc.
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Barb the Evil Genius — at 11:57 AM, April 19, 2007:
I have to admit I don't think much of the mental health system either. It will be interesting when/if any information about Cho's family comes out. I'd be willing to bet his family was a broken one.
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— at 2:10 PM, April 19, 2007:
Actually, it would be highly unusual for Koreans to be divorced. They are generally steadfast in their belief in keeping families together. (Not that staying together is always the correct choice, incidentally.) And I have to add that the statistics are not what you'd assume about so-called broken homes. Many single parents raise mentally healthy children; and many "together" families create a tense and argumentative environment and the children are therefore sad and insecure. With the divorce rate as high as it is, we need to be careful about outdated assumptions.
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— at 3:58 PM, April 19, 2007:
Sorry, BTEG, but one bad family experience doesn't mean all others like it are also bad. There are many families where divorce made things calmer and kinder among everyone (I know several personally). And Cho's sister apparently is smart, rational and balanced, by the way, so how does that figure in your (unsupported) explanation? Besides, to conclude that Cho's family was "broken" because he's angry, ill and possibly evil is pretty preposterous logic.
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jau — at 4:00 PM, April 19, 2007:
I know! Let's make/find a list of all the angry, murderous people who we can think of, and see how many came from 'broken' homes and how many came from two-parent families who lived together in at least apparent peace and harmony!
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