h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

. He served a token period in prison but, like his famous predecessor Daniel McNaughton, was soon moved to Broadmoor Special Hospital. On reflection, it would appear that Sutcliffe was sane enough to stand trial for his crimes, but not sane enough to serve the punishment for them.


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Sir,Madam,Ms,
I read your article with interest.
I found it interesting... even entertaining... however I also found that you, like most folk, make the assumption that Broadmoor Special Hospital is some kind of soft option, that it isn't a prison.

I have to disabuse you upon this point.
Broadmoor Special Hospital IS actually a " Maximum Security Psychiatric Hospital Prison ".
It is not a NHS service establisment, it is run by a special department from within the Home Office.
Interestingly, the main Trade Union at this establishment is not UNISON or any of the other unions usually associated with the nursing profession, rather, it is the POA, or Prison Officers Association.
(the Screws Union) In fact I think that the POA was established as a union at Broadmoor. Although at the time of the unions foundation the place went under the title of "Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum".

I do hope that this information has the effect of altering your perception of the situation regarding this establisment.
A thought has just occurred to me.
It would be illuminating if you were to spend just a little time pondering the meaning of the term, "mentally ill", and if, after exercising your mind on that 'little beauty' for some time, you were to turn your attention to pondering the meaning of the term,"mentally well", I think that you might find yourself thinking along somewhat less prejudicial lines upon the subject.
Thank You.

Please dont think im prying, but you mention the 'mentally well'. What exactly do u mean by this?

I am currently a final year law student at Newcastle University. My dissertation topic is that of mental disorders as a defence in criminal law. I am finding my whole research of the topic extremely interestng and i was wondering if u could shed some light on views of mental illnesses.

Whatever your views i would be extremely fasciinated to hear them and i will not, without your permission proceed to use any in my project. Naturally if i do use them i will acknowledge you.

Thank you very much for this. Anything you can tell me will be muchly appreciated.

Vikki.

The message that I was trying to get across by using the term "mentally well" was really a sarcastic little barb at the lack of definition of the term "mentally ill".
Are you aware that this " condition " does not actually have a legal definition in any of the " mental health " legislation in the U.K.?

They tried to provide one but couldn't, and left such "diagnoses" to to the ( putative ) experts, psychiatrists.
You see, because there isn't a clear definition of what this "condition" involves thie term can be ( and in all probability, is ) used to cover all of those " persons " who exhibit any tendency to participate in behaviour that is viewed as being "outside of" any percieved "norm". ( whatever that is )
What is really disturbing is that it won't be very long before the new diagnosis of " anti-social personality disorder " is used in place
of "mental illness" to "clean up societys little problems"...if the latest amendments/adjustments/additions get passed into law.

Why do you think that money is being spent by HMG on the building of "special units" at Rampton Hospital to accomodate these persons who have been identified as being "potential risks" to either themselves, or more realistically, other persons of being likely to commit crimes at sometime in the future.
Shades of " FutureCrimes " I think.
It is interesting to consider that Tony Blair is quite closely related to Eric Blair ( ex BBC employee )who penned many fine essays and also some fairly contraversial novels using the nom-de-plume of "George Orwell"?

By the way, if I give you, the reader, the impression that, for some probably indefinable reason, I might be just a little disgruntled with such a vague definition, you are probably right.

Oh, and by the way, I am "Max the Miserable" I just can't find the scrap of card that I wrote my original password on, so for this message I am Researcher 199982.

hi, max.
Is it not highly thrilling to gather how appreciatingly much 'Waiiit a minute, I reckognize these traits..' -input one gets if one starts to read about sociopaths?
Could sign up for hypochondria for less.
get in line, honey.

stockholm-based isotope of you.
huldra

Look up http://www.mindout.net/ sometime, won't you?

See, I'm sort of dubious when it comes to MindOut. It is an instructive site, indeed, yet would you please consider, marvin, what implications would follow if it suddenly was labeled perfectly normal to [whohoops. here is censored something for unwant of legal procedures due to my possibly offending 50% of the world's population.] ..think of quite odd things and generally being paranoid semi-eccentrics, which, I'm rather certain, most of the human population is? Or rather, I should say, think of what disturbing consequences could follow if behaviour outside the set standard y2k-regulations was legalised? Actually, I believe it's quite a neat thought-problem. Having had the stuff bouncing off the walls in my encephalon for just as neat a while, I'd say we're better off without knowing everyone else is as freaky as we are.
This may sound strange to some, but I believe it to be true.

[I am Not going to add the cliché Ignorance Is Bliss here, so you can all stop worr.. Doh! ]

..The prominent problematics of dealing with this kind of a q is that whichever way I choose to lay my words [and by Dog, am I thankful I may get it in some sort of pseudo-eloquent writing .. ], I come off as a complete maniac, since I am the 1st to sort of 'come out of the closet' person.
So to speak.
Dang, this is a biggie to knife-edge-tango.
Does Anyone see what I'm trying to pervade in this non-fashionable manner?

Btw, that is quite a list of sites you've got there, Marvin.
Chuck Palahniuk's 'Choke' might be of interest to such a sex orientation-enlightened identity like yourself. ; )

cheers
/huldra.

- no manic anxiety over here. I've sort of come to terms with my life as being pointless and I rather direct my attention to having nauseatingly dead-fun during what pointless life I have left.
There you go. me in a nutshell.
By curious coincidence, I think the Universe is of the same opinion.

I disagree.

you disagree to .. what?
Palahniuck? The Universe? The world as being covered by sub-maniacs? My pointlessness?[if so, please, I'm flattered, but don't bother. really.] You as beinga sexually oriented mastermind?
what? do we just Agree to Disagree? hm?

Yes

bore.

No.

i have a 'mad' woman after me who has threatened to slit my throat.... the police cant do owt as she's 'care in the community'..... doh!!!!

Just keep away from her then!

not that easy as she lives near me n im not going outta my way ......

Might you be in for a move?

why should i??

Why shouldn't you?

the only move ill be doing will be jail for the psycho!!!!

You could suggest she be sectioned under the MHA if you seriously believe she's a threat to her own safety or that of others. There but for the Grace of God go you or I.

i have bipolar!!!!

the pysch actually works at hospital under rehabilitation scheme ..... doh!!!