Justice for Joe: Stop Criminalizing Mental Illness

This petition aims to seek justice and proper health care for Joe Paraskeva and other individuals with mental illness.  We believe that his case is a miscarriage of justice and a violation of human rights.  Please sign this petition to seek "Justice for Joe" and tell David Cameron you will not support the criminalization of mental illness.

We believe that a young man, 20, with a diagnosis of Bipolar Affective Disorder, which is a severe and enduring mental health disorder, should not have been sent to prison. Instead, he should be receiving the proper care, support and treatment he deserves from the National Health Service (NHS).

Joe Paraskeva has no previous criminal convictions and yet, for trying to escape from a psychiatric ward he has been sentenced to an Indeterminate term of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP), with a minimum term of 2 years imprisonment before he can even be considered for parole. He is likely to spend the rest of his life in prison. How can this be acceptable in the U.K. in 2011? We believe this cannot be justified.

Joe admitted himself voluntarily into a psychiatric ward (in October 2010), suffering his second mental health crisis. He did so according to instructions on his Care Plan, approved by his NHS psychiatrist. He was then sectioned by NHS doctors under the Mental Health Act, to be detained for up to 28 days. Within 48 hours he became very distressed and tried to set fire to the handle of a door and an electronic panel next to it, in an attempt to escape from the ward. He was subsequently arrested and charged with simple arson (not the more serious offence of arson with intention to endanger life or being reckless as to whether life was endangered).

We believe Joe should not have been charged with arson by the Crime Prosecution Service (CPS) and that the NHS has failed in its duty of care to this young man.

We urge you to redress this injustice. Joe should not be punished for having a life-long mental health disorder and seeking help from the NHS when he suffered a mental health crisis. He sought help and has been sent to prison. Joe will remain in a Young Offenders Institution until he reaches 21, in early September. He will then be transferred to an adult prison. We believe he is very vulnerable and at risk in the criminal justice system.

We urge you to examine ways in which the current mental health system and justice system are unfairly criminalizing mental health issues.  This problem needs your careful consideration, advocacy, and action to ensure the UK does not continue to criminalize individuals suffering with mental illness; individuals are kept safe while under psychiatric care during hospital stays under the Mental Health Act; and they are able to get the care they need in the community and not in prison. 

We urge you to use all the powers of your office to help secure Joe’s transfer from prison into an appropriate and supportive hospital environment where he can receive the care and treatment he sought and surely deserves and for his conviction to be overturned.

www.justiceforjoe.org.uk    (Petition closes 31 August 2011) 

Any donations to this campaign are ONLY accepted through the website www.justiceforjoe.org.uk

For additional information please see www.justiceforjoe.org.uk and http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jun/01/mentally-ill-treated-like-criminals

If you have already signed a paper copy of the petition or the petition on another website, please do not replicate your signature here.  Thanks for taking the time to read and give Joe your support.

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