Our personal tragedy compels us to start this petition. An innocent CHILD, 14 yrs old, a family member, a CHILD dear to us and the community, waiting for the bus to go to school in the morning was fatally stabbed by a mental health patient who should not have had uninhibited freedom. Mental illness, irrespective of its severity, does not and should not absolve people of the consequences of their harmful actions. In incidents like ours, it was an innocent life that paid the price. A dear life, gone at the hands of a person who ideally should have been under stringent supervision. 

De-institutionalization, outdated treatment laws demanding a person become violent before intervention, discriminatory federal Medicaid funding practices, the prolonged failure by states to fund their mental health systems drive those in need of care, ridiculous long waits for mental health care, and lack of mental health professionals are just some of the core issues that we believe contributed to this nightmare.

We, Caleb Rijos' family, friends, & the undersigned, call for urgent legislative action to establish stricter supervision and accountability measures for individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness who commit violent crimes. Current policies fail to provide adequate oversight, often resulting in preventable tragedies. While mental illness alone is not a predictor of violence, research indicates that individuals with untreated severe mental health conditions, are at a higher risk of violent behavior if not properly supervised.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, individuals with severe mental illness are responsible for approximately 10% of all homicides and a significant number of assaults, particularly when left untreated.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics found that nearly 40% of inmates in state prisons and 76% of those in jails have a history of mental health issues, many of whom committed violent offenses.

Cases like that of the individual that slaughtered Caleb, who had a long history of psychiatric hospitalizations and violent arrests before committing a fatal assault, underscore the dangers of insufficient post-release supervision.

Existing laws, such as the Insanity Defense Reform Act (1984) and state civil commitment statutes, often fail to ensure continuous supervision after release from psychiatric or correctional facilities. Some states allow early discharge based on limited evaluations, increasing the risk of recidivism.

Furthermore:

Outpatient Commitment Laws (e.g., Kendra’s Law in New York) exist but are not uniformly enforced.

Mental Health Courts are underutilized and lack enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with treatment.

There is no national standard for mandatory post-release supervision for individuals with violent histories and severe mental illness.

Proposed Solutions:

Mandatory drug test upon arrest to rule out drug induced violence due to street drugs.

To address these gaps, we propose the following measures:

1. Mandatory Supervised Release:

Require a minimum 5-year supervision period for individuals with severe mental illness convicted of violent crimes.

Establish specialized supervision programs, including GPS tracking and caseworker oversight.

2. Expanded Psychiatric Evaluation and Treatment Compliance:

Implement monthly psychiatric evaluations for high-risk individuals post-release.

Enforce strict medication adherence monitoring with potential for involuntary treatment orders if necessary.

3. Stronger Coordination Between Law Enforcement and Mental Health Services:

Require law enforcement agencies to share records with psychiatric hospitals and parole boards.

Expand the use of Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) nationwide to ensure continued care.

4. Creation of Secure Treatment Facilities for High-Risk Individuals:

Establish long-term residential mental health units for individuals deemed too dangerous for community release.

Increase federal funding for forensic psychiatric hospitals.

Call to Action:

We urge our state & federal policymakers to enact legislation implementing these policies to protect both the public and individuals with severe mental illness from preventable violent incidents. By signing this petition, you demand responsible, evidence-based reforms that prioritize safety and humane treatment.

We believe that the judicial & healthcare systems and policies in place can, and must, do more to prevent such incidents where the mentally ill become a danger to others. There should be stricter supervision policies for patients diagnosed with severe mental illnesses, protecting both the patients themselves and the society they live in. 

Please sign/share this petition & join us in our plea to the Judicial & healthcare providers, policymakers, and all fellow citizens. We can prevent further innocent lives from being taken too early, and provide better care for our mentally ill. Your support can make a huge difference. Your voice counts. Sign and share the petition today. Thank you. #JusticeforCaleb