Dieser Artikel diskutiert die Frage einer gerichtlichen Verfolgung seelisch kranker
Menschen, besonders im Hinblick auf tätliche Angriffe oder Gewaltakte in Betreuungssituationen.
Er diskutiert die Argumente für eine strafrechtliche Verfolgung derer, die gefährliche
Taten begehen, ebenso wie die Argumente dagegen und einige der möglichen Gründe, weshalb
dies ein umstrittenes Thema ist. Es bestehen beträchtliche Risiken für die Integrität
von Mitarbeitern psychosozialer Dienste, falls die Möglichkeit einer gerichtlichen
Verfolgung als Strategie zur Reduktion von Gewaltakten in Krankenhäusern nicht auf
allen Ebenen ernsthaft diskutiert wird. Die Gewalt ist real, aber sie zu akzeptieren,
ohne Schritte zur Reduzierung ihrer Häufigkeit oder Schwere zu unternehmen, ist ebenso
inakzeptabel wie das tägliche Offenlassen der Haustür, weil Einbrüche ohnehin nicht
zu verhindern seien. Mitarbeiter im Gesundheitswesen sollten bedenken, dass, wenn
die Kliniken selbst keine Lösung für das Problem entwickeln oder es sich nicht zu
Eigen machen, die Gefahr von rein administrativen Reaktionen auf diesem sensiblen
Gebiet groß ist, womöglich vorangetrieben durch politische Beweggründe, wie dies in
Bereichen der Risikobewertung, Behandelbarkeit und Behandlungsbereitschaft geschehen
ist.
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A. Coyne
St. Lomans's Hospital, Mullingar, Republic of Ireland