Essay On Andrew Goldstein

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Andrew Goldstein
In 1989, Andrew Goldstein was admitted to a psychiatric hospital from a physical altercation with his mother; there he was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. In 1999, Andrew Goldstein, at a New York subway killed Kendra Webdale by pushing her into an oncoming train. Three weeks before the fatal altercation with Kendra Webdale, Andrew Goldstein was released, after committing himself to a New York hospital. Goldstein committed himself into the hospital due to “severe schizophrenia” (Frontline, A Case of Insanity). Even though the hospital, that Goldstein was released from, noted in their records that Goldstein was described as “thought-disordered,” “delusional,” and “psychotic” (Frontline) nonetheless, he was still release and referred to an outpatient therapy, after less than a month of being there.
Andrew Goldstein was arrested for second-degree murder of Kendra Webdale, Goldstein pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. During the first trial of Andrew Goldstein, in 1999, the jury became deadlocked resulting in a mistrial. However, in 2000, a new jury, after a 90-minute debilitation, the jury found Andrew Goldstein guilty of second-degree murder. Goldstein was given a sentence of twenty-five years to life in prison.
During the trial, you did not hear much from Andrew Goldstein’s family. His parents divorced when he was 8 years old and he had two brothers. During his trial the prosecution argued that Andrew Goldstein had an abusive childhood, that his mother was abused by his father, furthermore the prosecution tried to use these incidents as a connection to the fatal attack on Kendra Webdale. The defense replied that the family had given up on the mental health system.
Andrew Goldstein, in 1989, had his first me...

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...ady become dangerous. The law should prevent the dangerous behavior that could be a result of an individual rather than requiring the individual to become dangerous in order to receive help.
This law allows an individual to keep more of their civil liberties. It cost less than an inpatient commitment. The law has control not only on the individual who needs help but also on the mental health system to give the help. Involuntary commitment is a court order in which an individual with a severe mental illness is order into treatment in an impatient or outpatient hospital. The laws, that deals with the criteria for civil commitment varies from state to state. A dander to self or a danger to others is a standard, but some may result in that the danger must be imminent. The Kendra’s law is a way to try to establish a safety living style for the community for all.

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