Post by wavebreak on Jan 27, 2011 16:43:02 GMT 1
I have a story, though I realise I have already missed the 12 pm deadline. Also this is not my story but my son's so I have to find a way of giving you an outline with in no way identifying him.
Basically he has a very late diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome (early twenties). For this reason, he is a very private person and therefore would not I am sure be willing for any direct publicity or to be involved in an interview.
Nonetheless his case illustrates so exactly what can happen to someone and how they can be totally inappropriately detained, at huge personal costs to themselves and to the public purse.
Briefly having never shown any aggressive behaviour in his life, being conflict avoidant, gentle personality etc. he was involved in a very difficult personal family situation which he could not handle in the way that a neurotypical might have done.
The person in question pursued him through the legal system.
On a not guilty plea, after months out on bail, the case got to the Crown Court but by then he was in breakdown. He failed to turn up to the hearing, and despite medical evidence of his state the judge refused bail and had him arrested. There was no social worker to speak for him.
He ended up in a severely catatonic state and on remand in prison.
Several months and many hearings later (from which he was excused because of risk of further catatonia) he was transferred to a low secure unit. It took us a further 9 months to get him out of there.
It was a totally inappropriate placement for someone with no previous or ongoing record of aggressive behaviour, conflict avoidant in the extreme.
The placement caused immense trauma, even more than the months in prison.
In the period between the incident which was the start of all this, and the imprisonment, there was no care or support in place whatsoever despite his own attempts at getting social services support, and a referral on the mental health side. In fact he was in prison for several months before even having a named social worker.
Basically he has a very late diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome (early twenties). For this reason, he is a very private person and therefore would not I am sure be willing for any direct publicity or to be involved in an interview.
Nonetheless his case illustrates so exactly what can happen to someone and how they can be totally inappropriately detained, at huge personal costs to themselves and to the public purse.
Briefly having never shown any aggressive behaviour in his life, being conflict avoidant, gentle personality etc. he was involved in a very difficult personal family situation which he could not handle in the way that a neurotypical might have done.
The person in question pursued him through the legal system.
On a not guilty plea, after months out on bail, the case got to the Crown Court but by then he was in breakdown. He failed to turn up to the hearing, and despite medical evidence of his state the judge refused bail and had him arrested. There was no social worker to speak for him.
He ended up in a severely catatonic state and on remand in prison.
Several months and many hearings later (from which he was excused because of risk of further catatonia) he was transferred to a low secure unit. It took us a further 9 months to get him out of there.
It was a totally inappropriate placement for someone with no previous or ongoing record of aggressive behaviour, conflict avoidant in the extreme.
The placement caused immense trauma, even more than the months in prison.
In the period between the incident which was the start of all this, and the imprisonment, there was no care or support in place whatsoever despite his own attempts at getting social services support, and a referral on the mental health side. In fact he was in prison for several months before even having a named social worker.
