Reply #54: I remember my youngest with behavior

[China_cat]

like that. He was later diagnosed with 'personality disorder'...a sociopath. We dropped over $50,000 just in our share of psychiatric bills that the insurance didn't cover and another $30,000 in legal fees for the shit he pulled. And yes, a couple times I called the cops on him. I had no choice when I did. Other times the cops brought him home and wanted to know why I didn't beat the shit out of him for what he was doing (peeping in windows) and I'd allow them to take him to the detention center only to get a call an hour later to come and get him because they couldn't keep him (and that -I'd- be the one behind bars if I didn't).

But even if that family is on state aid, they can't get psychiatric help for the kid. That was dropped from Medicaid here almost 10 years ago and it's been at least 25 since there's been any counselors other than occasional career counselors in the school system. The only way they have any chance at all for mental health help for him IS if they can get him convicted of something. Anything. Then they can petition the court for a psychiatric evaluation and treatment.