Scapegoating Not Necessarily the "INNOCENT" --- BUT the CLOSEST LINK IN THE CHAIN OF CAUSALITY

Criminally prosecuting the officers in the Christian Glass case --- seems FAIR --- maybe even PROGRESSIVE --- BUT is it?

Colorado Abuse & Neglect Cases Involving People with Disabilities

Basically what we're doing in Criminal Justice is taking the closest link in the CHAIN OF CAUSALITY --- deeming everything else "IRRELEVANT" because we don't have the bandwidth to deal with it ----

• Punishing someone or Finding them "NOT GUILTY" --- calling it good
• & the Underlying Systemic Problems generally remain
• & UNFORESEEN or FAIRLY FORESEEABLE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES are added to the mix.
  

When we talk about the ENLIGHTENMENT of the 18th Century or WOKENESS of the 21st --- We're often talking about UNDERSTANDING issues beyond the INDIVIDUAL to the SYSTEMIC.

Definition of Scapegoat, Scapegoating, and Scapegoat Theory

March 15, 2022

• Scapegoating is an analysis of violence and aggression in which people who have undergone or who are undergoing negative experiences — such as failure or abuse by others — blame an innocent individual or group for the experience.
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• Although the term scapegoat is biblical, Emile Durkheim was the first to talk about it in a sociological context. Durkheim believed that the practice of scapegoating is fundamental to the structures of societies, and that every event that generates negative emotions must have a scapegoat. 
  

What the FOUNDING FATHERS understood was that the issue went beyond KING GEORGE --- to the INSTITUTION OF MONARCHY ---

• King George was hardly the worst monarch in HISTORY ---
• The CHALLENGE wasn't just getting a BETTER MONARCH --- it was getting a BETTER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
  

Prosecution of the officers in the Christian Glass case seems in some ways reminiscent of the abuse cases coming out of the Denver Jail, Boulder Jail, Colorado Prisons, etc.

The situations were clearly not handled appropriately --- BUT a GROSSLY INADEQUATE COLORADO MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM is putting INDIVIDUALS AT RISK and OFFICERS OVER THEIR HEADS.

At the end of the day --- this shouldn't be about LAW ENFORCEMENT and People with Cognitive Disabilities and their Families pitted against each other --- It should be both working to improve these systems.

Rocky Mountain PBS
Insight with John Ferrugia  (2020)

"A breakdown in mental health services across the state of Colorado has left law enforcement on the front lines of handling people in crisis."