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NAMI NEW JERSEY ADVOCACY E-NEWS
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August 2, 2007
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ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. JAILHOUSE DEATH BRINGS QUESTIONS
2. CRIMINALLY INSANE ARE TARGET OF LAWMAKERS
3. ALTERNATIVES TO DEADLY FORCE ARE CONSIDERED
4. MONITOR TO OVERSEE FACILITY FOR TROUBLED CHILDREN
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JAILHOUSE DEATH BRINGS QUESTIONS
Had he lived, perhaps only his family would have given much
thought to the life of a suicidal 50-year-old man who was
murdered Friday at the Passaic County Jail in the detention
unit (for people with mental health problems) at the overcrowded
Passaic County Jail. Officials say that proper procedures
were followed. The families of the two men are not so sure.
The dead man's son, questions his father being housed with
another man who'd been diagnosed with mental disabilities.
The mother of the accused says her son was denied much-
needed psychiatric medicine.
Read the Herald News Editorial:
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk0MTAmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRU
V5eTcxNjY5MDcmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXky
The news report:
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzNTcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV
5eTcxNjYxNTkmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkz
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CRIMINALLY INSANE ARE TARGET OF LAWMAKERS
Sen. Joseph M. Kyrillos Jr., Assemblyman Sean T. Kean, and
Monmouth Beach Commissioner Kim Guadagno held a news conference
to discuss proposed legislation that would require state
mental institutions to notify the police chief when a psychiatric
patient found innocent by reason of insanity will be staying
in a community during an approved furlough. The presence
of such a patient has alarmed the owners of the house next
door and sparked a legislative drive to change the way state
mental institutions gradually acclimate patients with violent
backgrounds to normal community life.
Read the Asbury Park Press story:
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070729/NEWS/707290402&GID=TH
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ALTERNATIVES TO DEADLY FORCE ARE CONSIDERED
After two recent shootings by municipal officers, state
Attorney General Anne Milgram appointed a group of law enforcement
and mental health experts yesterday to review when police
can use less-lethal weapons to subdue suspects. On June
29, Maplewood police killed a man who was having schizophrenic
episode. New Jersey is the only state that prohibits police
from using a stun gun or Taser.
Read the Star Ledger story:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1185944319217440.xml&coll=1
Attorney General's Advisory Group:
http://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases07/pr20070731a.html
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MONITOR TO OVERSEE FACILITY FOR TROUBLED CHILDREN
The largest privately run residential facility for troubled
kids in New Jersey will be monitored by an expert to help
correct safety and treatment problems that prompted the
state to halt admissions in April. Four months ago, the
State Child Advocate revealed there had been a total of
69 allegations of abuse and neglect reported at the facility
from January 2006 to March 2007. Kids went "AWOL"
187 times in the first three months of this year.
Read more:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1185944695217440.xml&coll=1
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NAMI NEW JERSEY, the State's voice on mental illness, is
a statewide coalition of self-help support and advocacy
groups composed of families and friends of persons with
a serious mental illness. With chapters in all 21 counties
we are New Jersey's largest grassroots organization
dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals
who have a serious mental illness and their families. |
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Please distribute this Alert to other advocates for
improved mental health services in New Jersey.
If you would like to receive NAMI NEW JERSEY Advocacy
Alerts by email, contact Phil Lubitz, Director of Advocacy
Programs at advocacy@naminj.org
or by phone 732-940-0991.
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NAMI NEW JERSEY
1562 Route 130, North Brunswick, New Jersey 08902
Phone:732.940.0991 Fax:732.940.0355
E-mail: info@naminj.org
Web Address: www.naminj.org
Copyright © 2007 NAMI NEW JERSEY - All Rights Reserved
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