October 13, 2002 - News of the Week
CBS "RUSH TO JUDGMENT" SENSATIONALIZES MENTAL ILLNESSES ONCE AGAIN!
The mildest words to describe Sunday's 60 MINUTES segment
linking the sniper killings and severe mental illnesses are "irresponsible
journalism." If you agree, let CBS know that this segment must NOT be aired
again -- ever! A quick E-mail will do the job. Contact info is at the end of
the News item below.
Clients are upset by the news references that they by virtue of their
diagnosis are suspect to be violent. People are being paranoid and jumpy at
the Drop-In, feeling they are being watched. Perhaps when you see clients, you
could give them some assurance that countries can be triggered into lashing
out too; and say that you think it is wrong.
CBS "RUSH TO JUDGMENT" SENSATIONALIZES MENTAL ILLNESSES ONCE AGAIN!
Links unknown "sniper on a killing spree" to "severe mental illnesses"
Using bogus homicide numbers and a bumbling choice of archive materials,
"Armed and Dangerous," (a 60 Minutes segment, October 13) tried to link a
proposed federal gun law amendment, a series of sniper murders, and mental
illnesses. Not enough time was spent on opposing facts and views, and people
with mental illnesses were made to seem like one of society's most dangerous
populations.
This is just the latest example of "Walking Time Bomb" stories on 48 Hours, 60
Minutes, and 60 Minutes II. The earliest example in our CBS News file is a
report in 1987 by Bernard Goldberg. Mr. Goldberg mentioned some form of
"killing" 20 times in the 4-minute "news" piece, which concerned five violent
incidents committed by "deranged" people over an unspecified number of years.
Last night, "Armed and Dangerous" tried to weave together stories about the
present sniper killer in Maryland; a proposed gun law to add involutarily-committed
psychiatric patients to federal criminal databases; and high-profile shootings
by Colin Ferguson (1993), Russell Westin (1995) , Michael McDermott (2000),
and Peter Troy (2002). Only Mr. Westin and Mr. Troy had any history of
involuntary institutionalization, meaning that the gun law amendment would not
have red-flagged the other two men for gun checks.
The important story missed is that Westin and Troy are prime examples of
dismal mental health system failure. Mr. Westin was known both to the system
and the FBI as someone who desperately needed help. Mr. Troy was also
well-known as deeply disturbed and needing intensive care. In fact, his
treatment was mandated by New York's highly-touted Kendra's Law. Both cases
show negligence at all levels of government to fund the required programs.
Most outrageous were the lead-in statements by Steve Croft: "Why is it so hard
to stop deranged gunmen from terrorizing American communities, like the sniper
who has terrorized Maryland?" And, "Every year across the United States,
nearly 1,000 homicides are committed by people with severe mental illness."
The initial statement has two flaws. First, it assumes that the Maryland
sniper is "deranged," at a time when there is absolutely no evidence to that
effect. The killer could equally as plausibly be a sociopath, or an El Queda
terrorist, or simply an angry boy of the Columbine type. Secondly, it implies
that such activity is going on almost routinely across America, when anyone
who reads the newspapers knows it is not.
The second statement includes the infamous "1,000 homicides" statistic that
originated in the fevered imagination of Dr. Fuller Torrey, and is unsupported
by any scientific evidence.
In addition, the program failed to stress the existence of various
sub-populations in this country that are far more violence-prone than people
with mental illnesses.
One has to express dismay at such a sloppy, misshapen piece of journalism. It
certainly falls far below the standards we have come to expect from 60
Minutes.
This segment must not be repeated. Contact 60 Minutes and executives at CBS.
E-mail: 60m@cbs.com
E-mail Viewer comment: audsvcs@cbs.com
Telephone comment: 212-975-3247
Mail: Don Hewitt, 60 Minutes, CBS News, 524 West 57th Street, New York, NY
10019
David F. Poltrack, Senior V.P., Research & Planning, 51 West 52nd St., New
York, NY 10019
For a transcript ($9 + $3 fee for tel.), call 1-800-777-8398
Last Updated on
04/14/04
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