What does DTK need?

[ijmorlan]

If the alternative to forced rehab is increasingly erratic behaviour until they do something criminal and are sentenced to prison, then it is absurd to oppose forced rehab. Either way, they’re getting locked up; better it be in a situation whose purpose is to help them free themselves from drugs, rather than to punish them (although I understand the word “penitentiary” goes back to an attempt to reform prisons to rehabilitate rather than just punish prisoners, so this isn’t a new debate).

That being said, I recognize that being forced into rehab isn’t the best, highest likelihood of success, way, and does raise ethical concerns that must be considered. But absolute opposition to forced rehab simply doesn’t make sense.

Is there a reason to physically confine some people because of mental problems? Yes.

But our history with that shows that it is not something to be taken lightly.

Let me ask you this, there are many many high functioning alcoholics, and high functioning more serious drug users as well. Their wealth usually allows them to maintain their habit without their life falling into disarray (at least, not right away). Now, many of these people routinely endanger others by driving while under the influence. Do you also support confining them?

I think that's an elucidating example, because the material difference between these groups is their wealth, not their impact on the actual (rather than perceived) safety of others.

If they won’t stop drinking and driving, then absolutely, yes. It should be essentially impossible for someone to be convicted of impaired driving more than a few times, because they should be serving mandatory long prison sentences (or confined to mandatory treatment, if such a thing is possible) after the first few convictions. Also murderers should not be allowed to have their names on hospitals:

https://www.blogto.com/city/2022/06/nurs...hospitals/

(disclaimer: the word “murderer” reflects my ethical assessment of the situation, not a legal conclusion or court ruling)

I think we’re in broad agreement: you answer whether some people need to be confined with a “yes”, and then immediately point out that there is a difficult history of this sort of policy; and I say that under certain circumstances forced rehab is obviously needed, but also acknowledge that there are serious concerns that have to be addressed if this is to be done.

I strongly agree that the rules and the system should not come down hard on poor people while letting truly sociopathic rich people keep getting away with continued bad behaviour.