Asperger's vs. Mental Illness - stories in the news

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I'm seeing Asperger's Syndrome being used more as some sort of "legal defense" now in court cases such as this one (graphic descriptions follow):

Samurai Killer Son

and this one:

Rapist with Asperger's?

Asperger's gets a bad name because of this. It's controversial but it's real life and what's going on out there, and negative happenings like these will only perpetuate bad stereotypes more. I see it this way: Asperger's is no excuse to rape or kill, but as it has been already brought out as part of the defense classified under the "mental illness" heading, the public doesn't get the whole story and what's the upswing to Aspiness too. I don't want to see AS in headlines like this:

ASPERGER'S SYNDROME: THE NEW SCHIZOPHRENIA?

considering the myths of Schizophrenia that are already out there, this only leads to increased confusion. I hope that if there are going to be stories out there committed by Aspies, that there are a corresponding -- or better yet, *greater* amount of news focusing on the positivity. For example, the novel "Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" which has been oft-cited here and there and in lots of places.

Jaded bitterness doesn't do much for progression in the long run -- people like fun and entertainment, so as much as an antithesis as it seems to be for Aspies, this is why I encourage sharing what you're passionate about in life and the obsessions you love and hold so dear to you! Continue...

I never believed in excuses like the ones displayed. I think there should be one question, "did you commit the crime?" If its "yes" then it off to prison, or whatever the punishment maybe.

I know it's a fine line, but lawyers can, and will, distort and pervert things, beyond anything that is fair.

Indeed. I wish justice could be simpler, but there are so many conflicting interests. Obviously "The Twinkie Defense" worked better than it should have, and I don't want "I have Asperger's Syndrome!" to be some lame catchall excuse for being able to be a "violent alien".

However, I'm already seeing some people who claim to have AS on the Net start to lash out verbally and attack others with insults for "not understanding them". In fact, it happened to me the other day, and it wasn't the first time. And then the typing patterns get all weird, resembling something akin to ee cumming's poetry crossed with the dreamy sequences from Stephen King's "The Raft" -- I look at it through my heuristics and *something's* up. For example, someone might type like this:


you love you hate YOU HATE ME!! !

I am so alone and disconnected

On my MODEM I am connected I HATE YOU!! !! !! !!

lovelovelove.. I do not understand yet seek to know.. I HATE YOU!!
hatehatehate
ASpergers no asssssbergers what is the difference..

no difference is the same....

Can I be an island together?

my dadd y made me wrong my mommmy treid to make me rite
but I am sooooooo wrong soooooo hate
I am ambitious and do desire to show greater growth in this area but its all gray AlL GRAY ALLLLLLLLL GRAYYYYYYYYYYYYY black cats black cats

the DIFFERENCE IS THE SAME AND I HATE THE DIFFERENCE
SO I H A T E Y O U


Anyway, you get the idea. Sorry, that was the tangent. My point being: I don't want to falsely accuse anyone of being a troll and this is in no way meant as a mockery, but really, there are signs that something deeper is wrong and some of these people online are either having a good laugh at everyone's expense, or they need SERIOUS help for real. I hope they will not commit physical crimes as an extension of this.

The line can be hard to see, and if it were easier, there would be so much more set right in this world.

thats f*****g disgusting, you cant use aspergers as a scapegoat.
what about all the NT people who commit crimes? should we go around saying NTs are all mental just because the majority of crimes are committed by NTs? no i dont think that would work out.

i think AS people would cope with the regulations and the fact that every day in jail would be the same, as most of us feel safe with routines, but the thing that would really distress me is all the other people inside there. like cruel beasts that haven't been fed

there was a case over here of a man who was part of a group who killed a boy getting his charge reduced from murder to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility- he had AS.

thats disgusting. this is why i hate humans most of the time.

Yes, that possibility definitely exists! You are right.

It's hard to say just from behind a screen.

But candidly speaking only about myself, I thought I once had BPS too because I am very extreme with my obsessions and there is some overlap "comorbid" area. This was before finding out about Asperger's. Some people with AS are also mistakenly thought to be narcissists and real attention-cravers for a number of reasons: for one, it could be that they really do not relate to warmth and affection as they see other children being hugged and held, and for another, it could just be the way that the world is perceived and individual frame of reference.

And shame, dirty shame on the lawyers who cook up fake "AS diagnoses" in wobblepots for people who do not actually have anything near that apart from a few superficial similarities. People have enough myths in their heads, such as "schizophrenia meaning you have SPLIT PERSONALITIES". Eeek, not good, not good

Here's a case in Japan where someone received the maximum sentence because they have AS.

From http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/editorial/T120809005680.htm:

That's quite a bump!

That's a pretty shocking ruling. Obviously the guy should be in prison because he stabbed someone, but AS doesn't make it more likely he'll offend and probably didn't cause the incident.