"It's a national tragedy and scandal that the L.A. County Jail is the biggest psychiatric facility in the United States." - Elyn Saks
by Philip Monte Verde
The strange saga of Dr. William Lewek has shone the high-beams on the failings of the criminal and mental health systems. This isn't a case of a man who caught the system off-guard with one dangerous action, but of a famously dangerous man putting himself and the public at risk a third time.
In January 2014, Rochester police found the body of Matthew Stratton in Lewek's yard. The story seems to be that Stratton died at the psychiatrist's Rowley Street house and Lewek's solution was to hide the body under debris and lawn chairs. A police search also found bags of crack cocaine stuffed in Lewek's shoes.
In September, Lewek drove his car down an embankment into the Niagara River. He then walked into the middle of the rushing water and sat down.
Clearly, this is a man who is of danger to himself and to others. And yet this past Saturday, Lewek was arrested for driving while impaired by drugs and alcohol. He is alleged to have had a blood alcohol level of .07 percent.
If any good can be taken from this, it's that the bizarre details of Lewek's original crime made him someone the media continues to report on. In watching his downfall we can learn valuable lessons.
The first lesson is that the ill-conceived War on Drugs forces people with addictions - even licensed psychiatrists - to live in the shadows. The threat of being thrown in prison with violent offenders pushes those with addiction out of contact with the system that could aid them. Out of sight, and out of our minds.
Secondly, once an event like the discovery of Stratton's body brings a person with a mental issue to our minds, we need to take effective action. Dr. Lewek should pay for the harm he caused the Stratton family and for putting other motorists lives at risk. But the punishment needs to involve rehabilitation, with checks in place to ensure society will be safe once he is free again.
It is in all our best interests to support changes in the way drug addicts and those with mental disorders are treated. Hopefully we can look at this case and instead of saying "look at that screw-up," ask "how can we prevent another Lewek?"
by Philip Monte Verde
The strange saga of Dr. William Lewek has shone the high-beams on the failings of the criminal and mental health systems. This isn't a case of a man who caught the system off-guard with one dangerous action, but of a famously dangerous man putting himself and the public at risk a third time.
In January 2014, Rochester police found the body of Matthew Stratton in Lewek's yard. The story seems to be that Stratton died at the psychiatrist's Rowley Street house and Lewek's solution was to hide the body under debris and lawn chairs. A police search also found bags of crack cocaine stuffed in Lewek's shoes.
In September, Lewek drove his car down an embankment into the Niagara River. He then walked into the middle of the rushing water and sat down.
Clearly, this is a man who is of danger to himself and to others. And yet this past Saturday, Lewek was arrested for driving while impaired by drugs and alcohol. He is alleged to have had a blood alcohol level of .07 percent.
If any good can be taken from this, it's that the bizarre details of Lewek's original crime made him someone the media continues to report on. In watching his downfall we can learn valuable lessons.
The first lesson is that the ill-conceived War on Drugs forces people with addictions - even licensed psychiatrists - to live in the shadows. The threat of being thrown in prison with violent offenders pushes those with addiction out of contact with the system that could aid them. Out of sight, and out of our minds.
Secondly, once an event like the discovery of Stratton's body brings a person with a mental issue to our minds, we need to take effective action. Dr. Lewek should pay for the harm he caused the Stratton family and for putting other motorists lives at risk. But the punishment needs to involve rehabilitation, with checks in place to ensure society will be safe once he is free again.
It is in all our best interests to support changes in the way drug addicts and those with mental disorders are treated. Hopefully we can look at this case and instead of saying "look at that screw-up," ask "how can we prevent another Lewek?"