@fern46, thank you for responding to my post (and really bpcyclist's thread, as a whole). You make a lot of valuable points here. You are right that the system is in great need of reform. It is complex, indeed.

Safety for all is crucial, but so is appropriate and humane treatment of people who are ill. Unfortunately, too, so many mentally ill that find themselves incarcerated for long periods (or repeatedly) are poor and/or have little effective support, and may not have the same opportunities that people like you and me have. Nature and nurture affects all of our lives in different ways.