Health & Fitness
Petition on the Criminalization of Asperger Syndrome In Iowa City goes world-wide.
Janet Lyness, County Attorney-Johnson County: Daniel S. Jason should get treatment instead of incarceration. The criminalization of Asperger Syndrome must end.
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The crucifixion of Daniel S. Jason in Iowa City, Iowa Posted on September 28, 2013 by josephmjason Overzealous Prosecutors in Johnson County take care of the mentally ill problem by Joseph M. Jason-President NAMI BA Iowa prosecutors are intending to convict my son and send him to prison again for perhaps 55 years for non-violent crimes. The trial commences October 22, 2013. Recent actions of the prosecution in Iowa City are indicative of the criminalization of Asperger Syndrome. My son will be tried in October of 2013 for extortion and stalking. My son sent various emails and made two phone calls. These charges are a travesty. My wife and I met with the prosecutor in December of last year and explained Asperger Syndrome and mental illness. We explained that our son’s behavior is childlike rather than criminal. We told them he needs treatment and not incarceration.
We gave them a forensic psychiatrist’s report that demonstrates he is not violent. He is a nuisance. We told them that his behavior according to Dr. Mills is typical of one with Asperger Syndrome. We told them he has an organic brain disorder. His criminal behavior consists only of phone calls and emails. This meeting has made no difference. If the Iowa prosecutor’s office was serious about avoiding an expensive trial, they would have offered a humane plea agreement. Instead they offered an agreement of ten years. Perhaps the voters of Iowa should be told how much it has cost to prosecute and imprison Daniel in Iowa. The typical offender sitting in Johnson County right now has been charged with robbery, theft, murder, sexual abuse, domestic abuse assault, drug offenses etc. My son is not a thug, but yet will get the stiffest sentence out of all of them. It is the criminalization of Asperger Syndrome. A full one-third of the nation’s states get a D or F grade for using mental health courts and crisis intervention teams (CIT) – diversion programs proven to reduce the criminalization of mental illness, the study found. Iowa received a well deserved F. “People with untreated psychiatric disease should be getting the treatment they need before law enforcement shows up at their door because of behaviors caused by their illness,” said Doris A. Fuller, executive director. I had a deposition earlier this year recently and they tried to twist Dr. Mills’ report. They not only want to lock him away for 55 years, but they extended the time period of the stalking to include the time he has been in jail. That is punishment fit for a major drug dealer and/or murderer. This case, as it always has, cries out for treatment and not incarceration. I have found a place for my son to live. It is called Trinity in Illinois and it is an excellent place for people with issues similar to my son. That is where he belongs. Daniel was living with us for the entire time and did not go to Iowa. This has not stopped the charges of stalking and extortion. This is not what our founding fathers envisioned that America should be. Daniel has already been in jail and prisons for most of the time since 2007. Dr. Mills has stated that Daniels’s so called criminal conduct is caused by his Asperger Syndrome. “Mr. Jason cannot legitimately be considered morally responsible for his misconduct.” Dr. Mills also states that “The lack of significant history of violence is important.” As stated in the article, Forensic aspects of Asperger’s Syndrome by Justin B. Barry-Walsh and Paul E. Mullen in the Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, “It behooves us to draw to the court’s attention the obvious: that patients with Asperger’s Syndrome suffer from mental disorder and that their offending and subsequent disposition must be placed in this context. The core features of Asperger’s Syndrome and how they determine what the individual knows and understand of the world should form a basis for sophisticated assessment of the issues of disability.” .NAMI National , Senator Durbin, and Senator Harkin have been apprised of this situation.. The Autism Society of America believes this to be the most egregious case in the United States. Even Drew Peterson and other murderers have received less of a sentence than my son is facing. Daniel has a brain disorder and needs mental health treatment not incarceration. National organizations such as NAMI and CURE are following this trial. This typifies everything that is wrong in the State of Iowa regarding the Criminalization of the Mentally Ill and Asperger Syndrome. This Criminalization of the Mentally ill must be confronted and stopped. I have seen and heard the overzealous prosecutors. It took courageous people to say no to slavery in our history. We must say no to the incarceration of our non-violent mentally ill. This is my mission in life. Joseph M. Jason, President NAMI BA (847)537-3009 Member of Criminal Justice Advocacy for People with Mental Illness Board Member-CURE-Illinois
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The President of the United States
The U.S. Senate
The U.S. House of Representatives
The IA State Senate
The IA State House
Ms. Janet Lyness, Johnson County Attorney
Governor Branstad, Governor
Daniel S. Jason should get treatment instead of incarceration. The criminalization of Asperger Syndrome must end.
The crucifixion of Daniel S. Jason in Iowa City, Iowa Posted on September 28, 2013 by josephmjason Overzealous Prosecutors in Johnson County take care of the mentally ill problem by Joseph M. Jason-President NAMI BA Iowa prosecutors are intending to convict my son and send him to... Daniel S. Jason should get treatment instead of incarceration. The criminalization of Asperger Syndrome must end.
The crucifixion of Daniel S. Jason in Iowa City, Iowa Posted on September 28, 2013 by josephmjason Overzealous Prosecutors in Johnson County take care of the mentally ill problem by Joseph M. Jason-President NAMI BA Iowa prosecutors are intending to convict my son and send him to prison again for perhaps 55 years for non-violent crimes. The trial commences October 22, 2013. Recent actions of the prosecution in Iowa City are indicative of the criminalization of Asperger Syndrome. My son will be tried in October of 2013 for extortion and stalking. My son sent various emails and made two phone calls. These charges are a travesty. My wife and I met with the prosecutor in December of last year and explained Asperger Syndrome and mental illness. We explained that our son’s behavior is childlike rather than criminal. We told them he needs treatment and not incarceration.
We gave them a forensic psychiatrist’s report that demonstrates he is not violent. He is a nuisance. We told them that his behavior according to Dr. Mills is typical of one with Asperger Syndrome. We told them he has an organic brain disorder. His criminal behavior consists only of phone calls and emails. This meeting has made no difference. If the Iowa prosecutor’s office was serious about avoiding an expensive trial, they would have offered a humane plea agreement. Instead they offered an agreement of ten years. Perhaps the voters of Iowa should be told how much it has cost to prosecute and imprison Daniel in Iowa. The typical offender sitting in Johnson County right now has been charged with robbery, theft, murder, sexual abuse, domestic abuse assault, drug offenses etc. My son is not a thug, but yet will get the stiffest sentence out of all of them. It is the criminalization of Asperger Syndrome. A full one-third of the nation’s states get a D or F grade for using mental health courts and crisis intervention teams (CIT) – diversion programs proven to reduce the criminalization of mental illness, the study found. Iowa received a well deserved F. “People with untreated psychiatric disease should be getting the treatment they need before law enforcement shows up at their door because of behaviors caused by their illness,” said Doris A. Fuller, executive director. I had a deposition earlier this year recently and they tried to twist Dr. Mills’ report. They not only want to lock him away for 55 years, but they extended the time period of the stalking to include the time he has been in jail. That is punishment fit for a major drug dealer and/or murderer. This case, as it always has, cries out for treatment and not incarceration. I have found a place for my son to live. It is called Trinity in Illinois and it is an excellent place for people with issues similar to my son. That is where he belongs. Daniel was living with us for the entire time and did not go to Iowa. This has not stopped the charges of stalking and extortion. This is not what our founding fathers envisioned that America should be. Daniel has already been in jail and prisons for most of the time since 2007. Dr. Mills has stated that Daniels’s so called criminal conduct is caused by his Asperger Syndrome. “Mr. Jason cannot legitimately be considered morally responsible for his misconduct.” Dr. Mills also states that “The lack of significant history of violence is important.” As stated in the article, Forensic aspects of Asperger’s Syndrome by Justin B. Barry-Walsh and Paul E. Mullen in the Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, “It behooves us to draw to the court’s attention the obvious: that patients with Asperger’s Syndrome suffer from mental disorder and that their offending and subsequent disposition must be placed in this context. The core features of Asperger’s Syndrome and how they determine what the individual knows and understand of the world should form a basis for sophisticated assessment of the issues of disability.” .NAMI National , Senator Durbin, and Senator Harkin have been apprised of this situation.. The Autism Society of America believes this to be the most egregious case in the United States. Even Drew Peterson and other murderers have received less of a sentence than my son is facing. Daniel has a brain disorder and needs mental health treatment not incarceration. National organizations such as NAMI and CURE are following this trial. This typifies everything that is wrong in the State of Iowa regarding the Criminalization of the Mentally Ill and Asperger Syndrome. This Criminalization of the Mentally ill must be confronted and stopped. I have seen and heard the overzealous prosecutors. It took courageous people to say no to slavery in our history. We must say no to the incarceration of our non-violent mentally ill. This is my mission in life. Joseph M. Jason, President NAMI BA (847)537-3009 Member of Criminal Justice Advocacy for People with Mental Illness Board Member-CURE-Illinois
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Joyce Ferrarini GREENSBURG, PA PENNSYLVANIA
Maria Houser Conzemius IOWA CITY, IA IOWA
6hLisa Kearney WILMETTE, IL ILLINOIS
Courtney Bailey KING WILLIAM, VA VIRGINIA
15hJen Kesten VILLA PARK, IL ILLINOIS
22hCynthia Michel KALONA, IA IOWA
23hDebbie Goodwin COLUMBIA, SC SOUTH CAROLINA
23hChantell Hoyt KATY, TX TEXAS
Andrea Cota Eigner CROMWELL, CT CONNECTICUT
1dLucia Lopez CHICAGO, IL ILLINOIS
1dNews
- We will find out tomorrow if the trial will begin on October 22, 2013. by Joseph Jason Petition Organizer
A letter of support was received from a person in NAMI(National Alliance on Mental Illness)stating that there should be treatment instead of incarceration. It is addressed to the Judge.
- Thank Youby Joseph Jason Petition Organizer
G-d bless all of the people who have signed this petition. You have made a difference in the world no matter what happens.
- Reached 250 signatures
- Governor Branstadby Joseph Jason Petition Organizer
Today, I called Governor Branstad's office and left a message for staffer Lynn McRoberts. The subject is the Criminalization of Asperger Syndrome.
Today, the prosecutor removed any offer of a plea agreement. The world will be watching how they prosecute people with organic brain disorders who could be treated instead of being put in jail and prisons. It is the equivalent of prosecuting a person just for having cancer.
From the bottom of my heart, I wanted to thank everybody who has signed the petition advocating for my son to get treatment instead of incarceration. Thank you also for the wonderful comments. To date, we have 130 signatures. I hope that everybody who has signed already can forward this petition to other people that may sign it. Save a life and save a world. Together we can stop the criminalization of Asperger Syndrome and mental illness.
Supporters
Reasons for signing- Most Popular
- Latest
- Elba Stewart PALATINE, IL
- 21 days ago
- Liked 2
Mental Illness must be treated & Daniel S Jason's acts do not justify this type of sentence. Let Daniel move to Trinity where he can get the treatment he deserves. As stated in Justin B. Barry-Walsh and Paul E. Mullen in the Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, “It behooves us to draw to the court’s attention the obvious: that patients with Asperger’s Syndrome suffer from mental disorder and that their offending and subsequent disposition must be placed in this context." Six years incarceration is a long time already! Use the space in prison, and cost, for someone who truly should be there. Daniel is not that person.
REPORT THIS COMMENT: This comment is inappropriate Cancel - Joseph Jason BUFFALO GROVE, IL
- 22 days ago
- Liked 2
We at the National Alliance on Mental Illness believe in treatment instead of incarceration for non-violent offenders.
REPORT THIS COMMENT: This comment is inappropriate Cancel - Paul Goldman GLENCOE, IL
- 20 days ago
- Liked 1
This is an illness that needs to be treated.
- 20 days ago
- Liked 1
As an attorney specializing in disability law, I became quite interested in this case and traveled to Iowa City to visit Daniel in jail. He is a polite, smart but very troubled young man who is being punished for being mentally I'll. that seems well beyond any reasonable debate. He quite clearly requires treatment for his illness. His incarceration is in the best interest of no one. It is a waste of public resources which should instead be used for treatment.
REPORT THIS COMMENT: This comment is inappropriate Cancel- 21 days ago
- Liked 1
Concern for our less fortunate brothers. Hope for change in an archaic system that is too costly, punishes the disabled, and based on ignorance.
REPORT THIS COMMENT: This comment is inappropriate Cancel- Maria Conzemius IOWA CITY, IA
- about 6 hours ago
- Liked 0
I have seen too many people who are mentally ill or compromised with a brain disorder, including those caused by brain trauma, who are criminalized by biased police officers and biased prosecutors, and needlessly so.
REPORT THIS COMMENT: This comment is inappropriate Cancel - Lisa Kearney WILMETTE, IL
- about 7 hours ago
- Liked 0
Our society ( the legal system especially) punishes people with brain disorders. These disorders are not the fault of the person. Would society punish an Alzheimers victim? Daniel needs help not punishment.
REPORT THIS COMMENT: This comment is inappropriate Cancel - Cynthia Michel KALONA, IA
- about 24 hours ago
- Liked 0
People like Daniel Jason need help NOT persecution. Is it so difficult to use common sense?
- about 24 hours ago
- Liked 0
My granddaughter that is 2 1/2 is autistic and severe ADHD, hopefully people will understand now and not later that this child needs help!
REPORT THIS COMMENT: This comment is inappropriate Cancel- 1 day ago
- Liked 0
Because the Johnson County Prosecutors are totally out of control.
REPORT THIS COMMENT: This comment is inappropriate Cancel- Request API access
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