Civil Commitment: An Ongoing Debate

In this blog post, we will be discussing the ethical and practical implications of civil commitment facilities through the perspective of Taisa Carvalho Mick, a former Mental Health Therapist in a Kansas Civil Commitment Facility. Taisa addresses questions, concerns, and provides additional information on the topic, expressing her personal views and experiences.

Personal Views and Experiences

Taisa starts off by introducing herself and expressing her personal views on sexual abuse, stating that she does not condone sexual abuse or any form of sexual violence. She emphasizes the need to question the practices of civil commitment and the negative impact it has on individuals and their families. Taisa shares her first-hand experiences from working in these facilities and voices her opposition to civil commitment, highlighting the unconstitutional practices and unethical treatment of patients.

The Role of Civil Commitment and Its Effects

Taisa discusses the research that shows how civil commitment and sex offense laws do not effectively keep society safe and instead contribute to stigmatizing a specific group of people. She questions the need for civil commitment and suggests that the resources invested in these facilities could be better utilized in prevention efforts, education, and other resources. She highlights the collateral consequences of civil commitment, such as the negative impact on successful reintegration and an increasing risk of recidivism.

The Need for Ethical Treatment and Equal Rights

Taisa advocates for ethical treatment, equal rights, and the importance of compassion in therapy. She questions the media portrayal of individuals involved in sex offenses and highlights the complexity of human beings, stating that everyone deserves respect and equal treatment. She observes the negative influence of the media in perpetuating stereotypes and stigmatization of sex offenders, emphasizing the need for a more nuanced and compassionate portrayal.

The Role of Physicians and Medical Ethics

Taisa touches on the ethical implications of civil commitment, noting that physicians have a duty to prioritize the principle of nonmaleficence and respect patients' autonomy. She questions the role of medical authority in civil commitment and the potential for abuse of power. Taisa emphasizes the importance of ethical guidelines and the need for transparency and accountability in the civil commitment process.

Conclusion

Taisa concludes by standing by her belief that civil commitment facilities are unethical and calls on professionals to recognize the harm and take action against it. She appreciates her viewers for their time and urges them to reflect on the issues discussed.

RESOURCES

https://www.house.mn.gov/comm/docs/cmQGz54EG0SwWJK3j7ebGw.pdf

Here are the links to the series 

Here are the links to the series:

Part 1 (7:14): https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2023/11/01/msop-moose-lake-behind-barbed-wire/

Part 2 (7:49): https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2023/11/02/msop-moose-lake-behind-barbed-wire-pt-2/

Part 3 (7:59): https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2023/11/03/msop-moose-lake-behind-barbed-wire-part-3/

Larned State Hospital Sexual Predator Treatment program Stats as of September 2023

Excerpt from Austin DesLaurier [ All lies]

SPTP staff approach a person assigned to the program from many directions that include: (1)

staff stress that the program is not an extension of a person’s prison sentence; (2) staff stress that

as mandated by law a person’s placement ensures that when a person’s risk for re-offending has

diminished he/she must be released if the court agrees; (3) staff acknowledge that changing well-

established behavior patterns is a challenge; and (4) a roadmap is laid out for success for an

individual. Sexually Violent Persons (SVP) programs across the country vary in the number of

stages used and the task content of each stage. However, every program uses the stage concept

offering a way for each person to gauge his movement through the program. In addition, for an

individual to successfully re-enter society a strong coordinated coalition approach among the

systems most involved such as legal, criminal justice, and social must be proposed and initiated.

If a person is not ready for life in the community, he can be safely returned to the inpatient

program, and once prepared, he can become a contributing taxpayer and member of society.

https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/kansas-sex-offender-treatment-program-aims-

reduce-recidivism

Larned State Hospital budget [2021]

https://www.kslegresearch.org/KLRD-

web/Publications/BudgetBookFY21/2021BudgetAnalysisRpts/LarnedStateHospital.pdf

LSH budget [2022]

https://kdads.ks.gov/docs/librariesprovider17/media-center/legislative-testimony/2022/mh-

hospitals-budget-testimony---various-committees-2.2022.pdf?sfvrsn=d6885c0b_3

One of the biggest court cases of LSH residents

https://clearinghouse-umich-production.s3.amazonaws.com/media/doc/82164.pdf

2019 statute

http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020/b2019_20/statute/059_000_0000_chapter/059_029a_0000_

article/059_029a_0001_section/059_029a_0001_k/

Mental Health America opposes civil commitment

https://mhanational.org/issues/position-statement-55-confining-sexual-predators-mental-

health-system

Kansas mental health Coalition public testimonies - including regarding KDADS

https://kansasmentalhealthcoalition.wildapricot.org/PUBLIC-TESTIMONY-2023

Articles

Controversial Christian linked to skyrocketing number of predators [2005]

https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/sep/25/controversial_christian_linked_skyrocketing_numb

er/

Sex predators: What goes on at Larned facility may shock some taxpayers

https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/sep/25/sex_predators_what_goes_larned_facility_may_sh

ock_/

Larned 2015 audit [whose recommendations have not been followed]

http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2016/b2015_16/committees/ctte_jt_cjjo_1/documents/testimony/

20161115_14.pdf

https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch59/059_029a_0001.html

Kansas man placed in sex predator program sees it as life sentence [2015]

https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2015/05/25/kansas-man-placed-sex-predator-

program-sees-it-life-sentence/16629898007/

Kansas Civil Commitment program under Scrutiny [2016]

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2016/feb/29/kansas-sex-offender-civil-commitment-

program-under-scrutiny/

The most common way to leave SPTP is to die [2016]

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article55098475.html

Documents reveal & appalling overtime at Larned State Hospital

https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2016/01/17/documents-reveal-appalling-

overtime-larned-state-hospital/16604030007/

Secrecy at troubled Kansas state hospital

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article187204708.html

Lawmakers question state's sexual predator treatment program

https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/local/2016/12/26/lawmakers-question-state-s-

sexual/20997048007/

Didn’t Pass your exams? You can still work in Kansas State Hospitals [2018]

https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/health-care/article208620099.html

Sex Crimes and Criminal Justice [Kansas, 2018]

https://washingtonspectator.org/koeppel-sex-crimes-and-criminal-justice/

Sex Crimes and Criminal Justice: Formerly Incarcerated Sex Offenders Say Civil

Commitment Programs Deny Proper Rehabilitation [2019]

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2019/jan/8/sex-crimes-and-criminal-justice-formerly-

incarcerated-sex-offenders-say-civil-commitment-programs-deny-proper-rehabilitation/

Detainees at MN Shadow Prison Resist Indefinite Detention in Sex Offender Program

https://perilouschronicle.com/2021/07/14/detainees-at-mn-shadow-prison-resist-indefinite-

detention-in-sex-offender-program/

What is civil commitment? Recent report raises visibility of this shadowy form of

incarceration

https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2023/05/18/civil-commitment/

Civil Commitment Does More Harm Than Good

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/civil-commitment-does-more-harm-than-good/

Delayed, Deficient or Denied: Medical Care in the Civil Commitment Gulag [2023]

https://washingtonspectator.org/delayed-deficient-or-denied-medical-care-in-the-civil-

commitment-gulag/

Civil Commitment: A Shadowy Limbo of Detainment that is Neither Safe, Fair nor

Therapeutic

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2023/dec/1/civil-commitment-shadowy-limbo-detainment-

neither-safe-fair-nor-therapeutic/

Prison Reform Advocates Call to End Civil Commitment in

Illinois

https://www.chicagoappleseed.org/2023/06/14/advocates-call-to-end-civil-commitment-upon-

release-from-prison-in-illinois/

Protestors make alarming allegations about statewide sex offender treatment program in

Littlefield

https://floridaactioncommittee.org/the-dobbs-wire-resistance-building-against-notorious-texas-

shadow-prison-where-people-are-locked-up-indefinitely-for-imaginary-future-crimes/

Professional Speakers [Youtube]

Sex Offender Laws Do More Harm Than Good - Professor Heather Cucolo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvkUkneAxkU&t=448s

Abolishing Fear‑Based Sexual Offense Laws - Emily Horowitz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOWMtjdhegs&t=2163s

The evidence for ending sex offense registries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQUJR9X-kvM&t=371s

Jeff Lowry: Sexually Violent Predator Civil Commitment, The Money Pit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfSPXQp5BTE&t=481s

Podcast episodes

Decarceration nation : Civil Commitment

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3vNxgleS0HciHj3thUQavb?si=B0iYxjUPS-W8eS-

Fm7ALiw

Emily Horowitz From rage to reason

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2t9YGLE5odZ6oZy6XbQppW?si=u6YMKPpvRESxhHb

PT6fsCg&nd=1&dlsi=9535f621dc8b4fab

Making Sex offenders pay- and pay and pay and pay

https://freakonomics.com/podcast/making-sex-offenders-pay-and-pay-and-pay-and-pay/

Documentaries

Untouchable

https://www.untouchablefilm.com/film/

Passcode : Screener0620

Additional ‘

The process of civil commitment in Kansas

https://www.doc.ks.gov/kdoc-policies/AdultIMPP/chapter-11/11-116a-administration-of-the-

sex-predator.pdf/view

https://casetext.com/statute/kansas-statutes/chapter-59-probate-code/article-29a-commitment-of-

sexually-violent-predators

Transitional Hearing Requirements under the Kansas Sexually Violent Predator Act

https://jaapl.org/content/50/3/476

Residency restrictions on SVP in transitional or conditional release

https://kansasjudicialcouncil.org/Documents/Legislation/2017%20Legislation/report%20on%20

KSA%2059-29a11(b).pdf

Austin desLauriers - testimony

https://www.dcf.ks.gov/Agency/Testimony/Documents/2012/Legislative-testimony-support-HB-

2313.pdf