Being criminally insane in old-time, and modern Phoenix, Arizona


In a long and full life, I've known a lot of crazy people. Some of my best friends have dubious sanity, and to me that's what makes them fun. I've known people who have done things that have seemed insane to me, such as bungee-cord jumping, or eating sushi, and even ice fishing. My feeling about this insanity has always been to smile indulgently, and hope that their crazy behavior doesn't harm anyone.

Of course, determining when insanity becomes criminal isn't up to me, and I'm glad of that. I have no idea how it's determined, but my best guess is that it requires people in white coats, and tests, and a lot of discussions, and lots of signing names on dotted lines.

My personal experience with criminal insanity in Arizona came in 1999, when my car was stolen. I filed a police report and checked a box that indicated that I would like to know about the proceedings, which I wasn't obligated to be involved in at all. I was sorry to see my car go, but my insurance company gave me a generous settlement, and I moved on with my life. And apparently the suspect (or perpetrator) was declared criminally insane.




He went to 24th and Van Buren, where there have been facilities to accommodate people like that here in Phoenix since 1886. It's still there, although the buildings are much newer, and of course the term "Insane Asylum" isn't used anymore. It's simply called the State Hospital.

What exactly got you into the Insane Asylum back then I have no idea, but presumably walking around talking into a little black square (which is common nowadays) would probably make them suspicious of you. And it is an easy thing to joke about, but mental illness is real, always has been, and there continues to be controversy on how best to help these people, not just locking them up.

The line between sanity and insanity is very thin, I know, and the fact that there is actually something called "criminally insane" - not just criminal, gives me hope that there are good people out there who are helping, and doing the best they can with what we as a society know.

One flew east,
One flew west.
One flew over the cuckoo's nest.
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