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Man overwhelmed by stress of parole

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By HILARY KINDSCHUH / Lincoln Journal Star

Sunday, Sep 02, 2007 - 12:10:27 am CDT

Mark Fitz fidgets as he talks about how he broke down a couple of days after he was let out of prison.

The stress of being out after spending much of the past 25 years in prison was making him anxious.

He went to the Lancaster County Community Mental Health Center to see a psychiatrist.

[+]Enlarge

Mark Fitz, 45, passes time on the mall near the Capitol building before a meeting to discuss possible housing. (Gwyneth Roberts)

Parole statistics

1,893 people were on parole in Nebraska between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007.

Of that number, 234 had their parole revoked during the fiscal year.

Source: Adult Parole Administration

“I just knew I needed help there before I could get help with anything else because I was starting to lose it,” said Fitz, who says he has bipolar disorder. “I knew I needed some kind of psychological help.”

When he got there, Fitz said, he started to wonder what he would tell the people inside.

“I sat in the park across the street from the place crying for about an hour,” he said. “Then I go inside the place and I broke down in there and it’s like, ‘Oh, this is as embarrassing as hell.’”

He went in and got an appointment for the following week, he said, and wondered what he’d do until then.

Fitz, 45, was paroled Aug. 21 from the Lincoln Correctional Center, where he spent the last few months of an eight-to-15-year sentence for attempted robbery.

He walked out the door with a check for $100, a few pieces of clothing and two notebooks filled with ideas for inventions. He had plans to stay at a halfway house and look for work.

When he got to the halfway house, he said, the first thing the manager did was take the $100 toward $450 monthly rent.

He said he was surprised and angry — when he got hungry and found out he had to provide his own food, a towel if he wanted to take a shower and money to do laundry.

“They do absolutely nothing,” he said. “They give you a place to stay and that is it. Nothing else.”

Fitz lasted three days there, and said he was kicked out because he wasn’t finding work, which, he said, he can’t do because he needs to have surgery on his foot.

An attorney for Summit Care and Wellness, which advertises the halfway house as transitional living for people recovering from drug or alcohol addiction, said he could not comment about clients.

Before and after leaving, Fitz said, he went to community agencies looking for help. But a week after his release, he felt like he was running out of options.

He wound up at the People’s City Mission on the advice of his parole officer, but said he has “a very high degree of antisocial behavior” and can’t sleep there.

“It would flip me out,” he said. “I have to do everything I can just to hold it back. I’m sure eventually, once everything levels out, that will subside.”

Fitz said he sneaks out at night and sleeps in unlocked vehicles.

He’s frustrated, he said. His parole officer should know he can’t stay with other people — it’s in his file. Fitz’s parole officer said he could not talk about offenders under his supervision.

Jim McKenzie, adult parole administrator for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, said an overwhelming majority of men and women leave prison without jobs, but they do have a plan.

“We don’t set anyone up to fail,” McKenzie said. “That’s the last thing we want to do.”

Parole is meant to help people learn to become self-reliant, he said, and his office keeps a directory of service providers for offenders.

“Parole officers take a look at the level of functioning of an individual (offender),” McKenzie said. “If they can function on their own, then they’re expected to go out and look for those resources.

“We don’t take their hand — we provide them with guidance.”

Fitz doesn’t see that he’s getting much guidance.

“Parole officers have an oath they’re supposed to take … promise to help the parolees as much as possible,” he said. “ … All they do is try to get you back in prison.”

He carries around a list of places he says he’s gone. He dismisses them all, claiming they can’t or won’t help him.

He’s been in prison five times, he says, and if he doesn’t get help soon, that’s where he’ll wind up again.

“I just know next week I’m going to prison,” he said Friday, “or I’m going to leave, unless I can find something by Monday.”

Mike Heili, a chaplain at the City Mission, said Fitz needs to understand that finding the help he needs takes time.

“The world’s not coming together as quickly as he’d like it,” he said. “I think the fear’s just paralyzing him right now.”

Fitz has been in prison at least five times. He served two sentences in Florida, from 1982 to 1983 and August 1991 to November 1991.

He was in prison in Pennsylvania — he’s a native of Pittsburgh — most of the time from 1992 to 2002.

At the end of that sentence, he was extradited to Nebraska to serve a sentence for robbing a grocery store in Lincoln in April 1997.

He spent about a year in solitary confinement at Tecumseh State Correctional Institution — at his request, he said.

“I just have a real problem living with other people,” he said.

During his time in Nebraska prisons, Fitz said, he worked hard to improve himself.

“I bet I easily read 100 different self-help books.”

He also filled two notebooks with ideas for inventions.

He was able to do all that, he said, because he started taking medication for bipolar disorder about nine years ago.

Before then, “My thoughts were just … flying. I couldn’t isolate a thought.”

In Tecumseh, he said he contacted a patent agent from Invention University with an idea for a hair-care product. But he had to put his ideas on hold because he couldn’t develop a prototype in prison, he said.

“I know I have a really good future ahead of me,” he said. “I have all this stuff with these inventions … and I know I’m going to do well with that.

“But I have to get to a certain point where I can do that.”

Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady’s never met Mark Fitz, but he’s pretty sure he’s met a lot guys like him.

“The average citizen thinks someone who commits a hold-up, they’re going to be in prison a very long time,” Casady said. “Our average citizen is wrong.”

The truth is, most people who go to prison get out.

“This guy sounds to me pretty typical,” Casady said. “It’s a common phenomenon in career criminals — complete, total narcissism, completely self-centered. ...

“It is a problem. Your options are limited when you’re penniless and released from prison,” he said. “And when you’re suffering from some kind of personality disorder, you’re pretty much out of luck.”

But being out of work shouldn’t be among the problems, he said.

“There really are jobs available for people who are ex-cons. The problem is, they’re minimum-wage jobs … and a narcissist doesn’t want to that. A narcissist wants everyone to provide for him.”

When Fitz showed up for his appointment at the Lancaster County Community Mental Health Center on Wednesday, he learned it had actually been on Tuesday. The receptionist had marked an X next to Wednesday on the appointment card but wrote in Tuesday’s date, he said.

He then learned he’d have to wait several weeks for another appointment.

“All I needed was a prescription,” Fitz said. “I find it hard to believe a psychiatrist can’t take two minutes out of their day to write a prescription.”

He left prison with a two-week supply of medication, but took a higher dose than prescribed because of anxiety and depression, he said, and he ran out early.

He left the mental health center, but went back minutes later and demanded the name of the man who, Fitz said, had failed to explain why they couldn’t help him that day.

He knows he was belligerent, and he knows his size — he’s a broad 6-foot-5 — intimidates people.

When Fitz got back to the City Mission that afternoon, he got a call telling him he could see a doctor the next day.

He didn’t go.

“I was mad,” he said. “I’m not going to appease them.

“I realize I should go. … I’m being stubborn, but I’m not going to give them the satisfaction of cleaning it up. I know it doesn’t make sense, but nothing seems to make sense any more.”

He said he’s angry and defensive because he’s trying to protect himself and the self-esteem he’s gained through medication and self-help.

“It’s extremely fragile, and I’m protecting it.”

Finding a place to stay and medication, dealing with a foot he says hurts all of the time — each worry in and of itself might seem minor, Fitz said.

“But when you stack them all together, and then stack it on top of me and put yourself inside of me, of everything that’s going on with me, the anxiety of coming out of prison and all that — it’s overwhelming like hell.

“I’m very cold right now — I mean in my mind. I’m leaning toward the good side, but if I go off toward the other side, I’m going to dive and push off.

“And I don’t want that to happen. I really, honestly don’t want that to happen.”

Reach Hilary Kindschuh at 473-7120 or hkindschuh@journalstar.com.

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Getting Out? wrote on September 2, 2007 2:26 am:

" Yeah, I am pretty sure I don't feel sorry for him, for feeling anxiety. The dude spent 25 years in prison. I think I feel sorry for the people he vicimized 25 years ago. Find a better story to write about! "

Poll wrote on September 2, 2007 3:11 am:

" Product of the system OR Some dude with a lot of excuses I keep my own opinion to myself... "

HARD WORKER wrote on September 2, 2007 6:08 am:

" Come on, Pick yourself off, dust yourself off, and get a life! There are plenty of jobs in Lincoln, enough with the excuses...Not everything gets handed to you and you had better get use to it! "

petpeeve2007 wrote on September 2, 2007 6:20 am:

" I think this is sad! I really feel this man is crying out for help and trying to do so before something bad happens. Yes, he is a criminal but, he is human as well! Eventually, what will happen is another crime or possibly suicide. Bipolar is a very sensitive disease and most people do not take it seriously or the doctors "under treat" the diagnosis. To the man in this story, I really hope you hang in there and try to give in a little so, you will gain a lot in the future. I personally am so tired as a US Citizen, to be "forgetting" about our people, but yet me have plenty of funds and resources to help out any other country while our society struggles so much. "

connie wrote on September 2, 2007 6:21 am:

" God, poor, sick, guy. You'd think when the authorities KNOW that a person is suffering from mental illness, more safeguards, for them, AND for us. would be put into place so they get the meds and help they need when they're released. I found chief casady's remarks to be pretty cold. The guy didn't choose to be born bi-polar, and he takes his meds, something many do not. "

Scary...! wrote on September 2, 2007 6:56 am:

" WOW! This concerns me. Not only because HE is a literal time-bomb on the streets of Lincoln, sleeping in unlocked cars, wondering around,ticked off that everything and everyone isn't catering to him RIGHT NOW.... but how many others exactly like him are doing the same? Was he paroled because we need more space in our prison? Because seemingly THAT won't be the case it sounds like he is on well on his way right back there, only I hope it isn't for something like molesting a child, rape or murder. It seems there should be a better way to transition prisoners, especially ones with known mental illness back into society than writing them a $100 check and saying "good luck." "

figures wrote on September 2, 2007 6:57 am:

" their the poor victim once again. No one put them in this but their selfs. I know I'm excited to have so many "Paroles" wondering around Lincoln. "

whatever wrote on September 2, 2007 7:19 am:

" Someone like this will never adjust to society. Unless we are willing to just summarily execute criminals, we must either reform them in prison or provide them a community to live in when they are released. I don't think as a society we are willing to do any of this. "

Rae wrote on September 2, 2007 7:30 am:

" Mental Illness is misunderstood. It is easy for the average citizen to just condemn this man and say "just grow up and start being responsible for yourself." But that is the problem. Many people with mental illnesses dont have the thought process that allows them to make good judgements- especially when they are off their meds. Vicious cycle. Easy to sit back and condemn- my belief is we need to encourage independance by individulizing needs of the mentally ill. But in this society- there is still a stigma. I have lived it in my family. "

Ralph Thomas wrote on September 2, 2007 8:06 am:

" Hard to feel sorry for a guy that has spent most of his life violating the law and living the "3 hots and a cot" life. "

So long, sucker! wrote on September 2, 2007 8:31 am:

" If even half of what he says is true, something is seriously wrong with the way parole is being handled in Lincoln. I worked for a community aid organization for a couple of years, and dealt with a lot of homeless people and people who had been in jail, and while I know for a fact that you get some who are habitual liars who like to "game" the system, there are others who just don't get the help they need. I have clinical depression, and went through some pretty rough times before I made myself see a psychiatrist for some help. Now I'm on medication and am doing fine, so I know what it's like. You _can't_ just toss somebody out on the street with no way to pay for basic things like food and medicine and expect them to get their life back together, especially when they need antidepressants. The $100 he says he was given on release doesn't go far these days. It might cover _one_ prescription, and then what's he supposed to do about food? Sure, there are minimum-wage jobs all over the place, but there are also a lot of high-school kids, college kids, and others competing for them. Write down that you've had multiple felony convictions on the application and just _see_ if they call you back! Do they offer these folks any state or city work when they're paroled? From the article, it didn't sound like it. At the very least, they should provide them with some kind of job for the first six months or year after they're paroled so they will have some time and money to establish themselves in the community and look for a regular job. Don't make it a handout - make it a condition of their parole that if they take one of the jobs provided for them, they meet the same standards as anyone else doing the same job, in terms of being at work on time, finishing assigned tasks, etc. - but don't just lob them out the door and say, "Good luck, sucker! See you back here in a few months when your medicine and your money run out and you do something desperate to try to survive!" Can anyone provide any more details on how the parole/probation process works with regard to giving people the tools to support themselves once they're out? "

Boo Hoo............ wrote on September 2, 2007 9:01 am:

" I too do NOT feel sorry for this guy. He has had PLENTY of time to think about adjusting to life on the outside. So what he ends up at the Mission. I spen two and a half months there getting on MY feet. Yeah, you have to sleep in a room with a hundred other people.....and YES some of them snore, cough, or wander around. Too friggin' bad. DEAL WITH IT. I think that the Journal Star could find someone else that has much better issues at hand than THIS guy. What did he do???? Call the Newspaper himself crying about his situation???? Probably, as I don't recall the Journal coming to the Mission voluntary looking for stories while I was there. "

Real Info wrote on September 2, 2007 9:26 am:

" So I gotta wonder why anyone would suggest just giving these guys a job. The point of Parole(and Probation for that matter) is to help someone begin to live within the law. Part of that is helping, no just giving them a way to make ends meet. There are so many day labor places in Lincoln, that if he really wanted to worked, all he'd have to do is go to one and he could make enough money to get what he needed. Parole and Probation officers work with very difficult offenders all the time, this is the kind of thing they deal with on a daily basis. They have a system set up to make sure the public is safe, so lets not go spouting off about something you don't know a thing about. Oh, and since no one else would think to do this- Thanks to all the Parole and Probation Officers out there, you guys do great work and hardly ever get recognized for it. "

Correctitional Nurse wrote on September 2, 2007 9:26 am:

" I worked several years in corrections as a nurse and I can tell you that it all starts at the top. The director of the jail where I worked wanted to make a female who was 40 weeks pregnant wait to have her C-section until she was released two weeks later...this is way too long for a pregnant mother to wait especially when all her previous pregnancies ended in c-section. She was released 1 week later with no arranged continued care at the direction of the jail director as he did not want to pay for the expenses. This is typical and is why I could not remain in correctional nursing. What many citizens do not understand is that a simple arranged C-section would cost way less than a lawsuit if that mother had suffered complications. Something for our society to think about!! My suggestion to Mark...You need to swallow some of your pride, acknowledge that others make mistakes too just like you did. Forgive them and get back to Community Mental Health as they will graciously help you find the answers (and medications) that you need! "

ex-correctional officer wrote on September 2, 2007 9:28 am:

" The negative comments on this person are just what you would expect from a bunch of losers in life. They are mentally more deficient that this person is because they very likely feel sorry only for themselves and don't know why. I knew inmates such as this person asking for help and if some farmer would come forward...offer a job and a small seperate living quarter they would probably have a very dedicated, hard-working employee grateful for a chance to get on his feet. "

Idea wrote on September 2, 2007 9:36 am:

" He ought to contact some Churches and ask them to practice what they preach. "

to So Long wrote on September 2, 2007 9:38 am:

" No, we don't need to provide them a conditional job for 6 months or any length of time. But, I was shocked to find out that the half way houses take your $100 towards rent. I think that could be changed. You need money in your pocket to find work. (Phone calls, bus, etc.) And didn't he have any extra money on his books? Granted, inmates don't make much at their incarcerated jobs. But, even at a dollar a day, he should have had some money on his books above the $100 the state gave him. And considering the amount of time he was in, that would be a nice sum to get started. At the beginning of the article I was feeling sympathy towards him. But, at the end his defiance told me, he isn't going to play by the rules, END OF STORY! "

TW wrote on September 2, 2007 9:38 am:

" I doubt most people don't realize what its like to not have someone one close that loves you or cares about you. He has alot of strikes against him, not to mention his metal attitude. It would seem the half way house is of little use - good grief. Lincoln is NOT the place a person like him should be. Its hard enough for someone who doesn't have all his problems to be alone in this dumb town. We have no idea what this guy's childhood was and in Pittsburg I'm sure that was no help either. Seems this guy has been turned out to sink and the attitude is who cares! But compassion he WON'T find in this town!! "

Corrections wrote on September 2, 2007 9:44 am:

" Just for your information there is no such thing as "solitary confinement" in the Nebraska prison system. I know that it made your article that much more sensational but it's not true. "

David wrote on September 2, 2007 9:57 am:

" Very good story. Objective. It makes you both sympathize and not sympathize at the same time. I cannot comprehend the "I'm not going to allow them to help me, so I can get at them" attitude. "

WE wrote on September 2, 2007 10:03 am:

" Sounds like the court system is failing. He is a career criminal, and at the very least maybe should have been sent to the regional center or work release instead being dumped on the streets. Do I feel sorry for him as an individual? No way, he is a criminal that will act again, but what will that next crime be? He is now desparate, depressed, bi-polar and unmedicated. I wouldn't want to be the person finding him sleeping in my car. "

What's the point of this story? wrote on September 2, 2007 11:00 am:

" So let's see, he didn't take the prescribed dose of his medication and he's upset that he can't get a refill? He didn't meet the requirements of the 1/2way house so he got kicked out. I'm sorry but, I don't understand the point of this story. The man is grandiose, and self-reports that he is antisocial ~ which basically means criminal. Are we supposed to be mad at the system? Are we suppose to feel sorry for him...I just don't get it. "

Brian wrote on September 2, 2007 11:24 am:

" It sounds like he just wants to go back to prison and let other people take care of him. What he does to get back in prison is the real concern. Sure he deserves a chance and an opportunity to live a free life, but can he really provide for himself and handle the rest of society? He needs help. "

work wrote on September 2, 2007 11:34 am:

" This is why prisoners need to work while in prison and save up some money for when they get out. I'm sure there is something they could do for work inside the prison. No more laying around and watching TV! "

Lisa H wrote on September 2, 2007 11:34 am:

" I feel for this guy in some way but he doesn't seem to be going about getting where he needs to be the right way. First of all, when he was released from prison he should have been set up with a therapist so that his meds could still be managed, THAT I put on the system!! I have a friend who a more than one disorder and it is hard for her to function EVERY day and I think that the system should have been a little more on the ball in making sure that he would be able, and was ready, to be released into the city. Sure he is a repeat offender and has been in prison several times, and for that I do not feel sorry for him for but if he has this disorder it does make his situation a little more difficult for him to manage. Without his meds, it is no telling when he will snap....As for the rest, there is no reason why he can't work and should get off his butt and take a minimum wage job so that he can get on his feet....We all have to start somewhere.....Cry a river Fitz, then build a bridge and ge the hell over it, sometimes you just have to do what you don't want to do, IT IS CALLED LIFE!!!!!! "

meds and work wrote on September 2, 2007 11:46 am:

" They should of set him up with something after releasing him. Have some meds to last him a couple months and have him established with a job. Just can't throw these people out in society and expect them to function normally right away. But he can also get free meds from the Lancaster Medical Society. And he should be able to find a job someplace. Get on it Fitz! Life is hard. But you can do it just like the rest of us with problems and mental illness. "

CS wrote on September 2, 2007 12:59 pm:

" Inmates can't 'just work while they are in prison'. There are very few daily functions of the facility that can be done by inmates for safety and security reasons. The rest of the population, to be employed, would have to work for outside entities. Based on the 'success' I saw while working at Tecumseh, the population of Johnson county was more than happy to count money they hadn't gotten yet when the prison was built, yet failed to realize that it was dependant on them expanding their local workforce with minimum security inmates ( check bouncers, assault in a bar, stuff like that). So, the great 'tax boon' that was promised never happened and inmates sit around all day because there are no jobs for them to do and no way for them to generate income. They leave as poor and in debt, or worse, as they did when they went in. This, in part, is the largest reason for recidivism.Everyone wants to punish the inmate,and protest any programming or work opportunities that involve more than manual labor. Any idiot can stand around holding a Dept. of Roads sign, or shovel crap from one pile to another. Unless some real skills are taught inmates like this guy will come out just as ill equipped as when they went it. This is not a liberal or a conservative issue-its a common sense issue. "

Hmm wrote on September 2, 2007 1:01 pm:

" I was sort of sympathetic for a bit. But then, he says "I realize I should go...I'm being stubborn..." Herein is the choice, man. Be a grown up and do what you know you should. If you KNOW it's what you should do, then do it. "

CS wrote on September 2, 2007 1:04 pm:

" Whether you call it 'solitary confinement' or 'segregation' its the same thing Corrections. Lets not dance around semantics. I worked at Tecumseh, and I worked in seg, as well as the yard, and the HU. They get out for their yard time in a 15x20 or so area that is fenced. They have scheduled showers every couple of days. It may not be a small brick room with no light, but administrative confinement is still segregating them from the population at the whim of the Cpt. and higher ups that sign the order. "

wake up people wrote on September 2, 2007 1:17 pm:

" I know of a person who was in prison, no he wasn't in the "big house" but he still has this on his record. It is not as easy as people think to just walk out of prison with a check for $100, even if you have money on your books it isn't much, and told good luck. You are given the name of your parole officer told when to meet them, and that is it. You are given a list of agencies to contact if you need help, the problem is these agencies are helping so many people that you are put on a waiting list. The wait could be a couple months. Just go get a minimum wage job, People have you had a brain fart or what? It is NOT that easy, most company's have a policy if you have a felony on your criminal record they CAN NOT hire you. Don't matter what it is. There are people out there who are willing to give these people, (and yes they are people) a chance. They realize everyone makes a mistake, lets find out if they learned from it. I bet Mr. Fitz no longer has a drivers license so there go any driving jobs, he has no money to pay for a cab, I do know you can get discount bus fares, but he doesn't even have the money for that. I feel for him, I wish I could help him, so he can help himself. And yes he will be able to help himself with a little help from our messed up society. Stop condeming this man, he has been there. No one knows the life he had before that led him to the life he lives know. Until you walk a mile in a mans shoes do not condemn him for how he walks. "

Gronk wrote on September 2, 2007 2:39 pm:

" Once more God proves he has a sense of humor. Supposedly most of those “critical” comments would come from Christian in this very RED state (on this Sabbath). Let’s see…whatever you do to the least of my brothers……..when I was in prison. Oh yeah, and then there’s the one about loving your neighbor? "

shocked wrote on September 2, 2007 2:45 pm:

" I am shocked at some of the comments. How could anyone judge someone who already did his sentence? Know one knows what caused this man to turn to attempted robbery (not murder) to deal with life at the time he chose to attempt robbery. Parolees are often caught in a catch 22 and people cannot fathom how this affects people and families. Some people cannot and will not try to think outside of their own box until it happens to them. These types of attitudes are a major reason for the pervasive attitudes of "us" and "them", a polarization of thinking. It is socially acceptable to think "I would never do that" but how many people if given the life of this man, would succeed to to join "us"? Us and Them is a terrible way to "attempt" to think of what happens to parolees and the wrong route to approach this issue as a huge social problem that affects parolees and the judicial system face. I take it none of the non-empathetic thinkers would give this man a job either? Doubtfully. What part of the problem did non empathetic thinking help in any modern social change? "

AB wrote on September 2, 2007 3:26 pm:

" I cannot believe the hardness of heart that so many of the commentators have here. I expect more out of my community. "

Frank wrote on September 2, 2007 3:36 pm:

" I have an Idea. Let's get as many people as possible to trash this man and make negative comments about him rather than help him. You say, well he doesn't want to help himself. So what is society to do with people that don't want to help themselves? Give up? Deport them? Lock them up? These people will continue to drain our society far worse if the problem is not dealt with now rather than later. "

NL wrote on September 2, 2007 4:02 pm:

" He said himself that he has a very high degree of antisocial behavior. How could anyone hire him when he can't deal with people. And for the comment about a farmer giving him a job and a separate living quarter, one farmer already was killed by his hired help, supposedly for money. I couldn't sleep at night if he was living on my property in a rural setting with no one else around. Obviously he needs help, but not from the general public. "

State Parole Officer wrote on September 2, 2007 5:14 pm:

" As someone that works with offenders on parole every day, I see where this guy is coming from. I will be the first to admit that it is very hard for some offenders to get out on parole with in many cases no family, money, housing or job but that is what they choose. They value the freedom of parole over having no money, housing or job at the time of their parole. Many people want the best of both worlds, they want to reduce the prison population and have those released from prison to be able to become productive members of society the moment they walk out the prison walls. State compensated therapists/psychologists are overwhelmed with people that need their medicine so it does not surprise me that this guy had to wait a few weeks to see a doctor People love criticize the way things are done and say why can't we do more to prepare offenders for life once released from prison? The answer is we can do more but like so many other things in life it comes down to the almighty dollar. If people are willing to part with more of their precious money in the form of taxes we could do more. More money means that we can hire more parole officers and better fund social service organizations that can help people. Many people like to criticize the system but when asked to put their money where their mouth is, their response usually changes. As a parole officer, I don't have the time to find these guys a job because I am usually responding to a bigger problem like a parolee committing a crime. "

Stablu wrote on September 2, 2007 6:44 pm:

" Reading these comments only shows how ignorant the general population is. I was under the impression that the Midwest was full of good Christians. It amazing how many people were born into Christian families but apparently failed to absorb any of it. "

sick of mean people wrote on September 2, 2007 7:32 pm:

" You know, i am soooo sick of people thinking they are better because they didn't go to prison, or haven't been in trouble. YEAH Bi-Polar is a mental illness, but before you start judging a felon/mentally ill (with bi-polar) person of rape, murder, child molesting you better check your facts. I have bi-polar, and I was in prison, for vandalism, not a huge thing but the value of damage made it a felony, and you know what, bi ploar isn't the kind of mental illness your thinkin it is. It is a mood disorder, that causes someone to have drastic mood swings, u know one min your happy, the next your depressed. it don't cause you to do psychotic things ok, it's not schtzophrenia or somethin. And jimminy christmas, society needs to make up their minds, you say oh please mr officer or mr judge, protect us, and make these criminals not be criminals no more. You have no idea what prison is like. The government is so busy making new streets, and building themselves bigger courtrooms, and fancier offices that they have to take away money that is supposed to fund restorative justice programs, and make rehabilitation for criminal offenders possible, like halfway houses, and programs to prepare an inmate for release. Why don't you tell them to do that and get of your hollier than thou power trips. Some people make me so sick. I have come a very long way, i only did a couple yrs, and i am still very young, but you know they don't exactly prepare you in there to make a change and a difference with your life when you get out, and the job force is not as easy of some of you slick mouths are making it to be, do you realize how discriminatory jobs are. A released inmate gets out, will take a fast food job to get on their feet and some won't even hire them because omg they have a record. I struggled, it was NOT easy, and i almost fell quite a few times, now i am almost done with my assoc degree as a legal asst. u know cuz i wanna make a difference since others are too good to help and busy judging, and I have a great place, and a great husband. And a great job. But it wasn't easy because too many ppl are there ready to judge and cast me down and out because haaaa oh my gosh she's a criminal, not good enough for our clique. "

response to boo hoo wrote on September 2, 2007 7:40 pm:

" You know "boo hoo" it's funny because i would say you simply have issues because someone else speaks up about their problems and the way society judges them, and don't just sit back and say oh oh well, that's just life. He has a reason being in the mission, just released from prison, no home to go to, gotta get on his feet save up some money and get his very own place why were you at the mission??? just didn't wanna pay rent, kept getting evicted??? open mouth insert foot, he probably has a better reason being there than half those people who are there and stay there for quite some time because they don't wanna get off their butts and get something of their own, they're waiting for a hand out because they couldn't do it on their own. This guy didn't get paroled because he made a parole board member laugh, he would have gotten parole because the system felt that other than doing his time he was showing potential for successfully making it in society yet at the same time they don't help you finish gettin prepared, they still kick ya out the door and say good luck!!! If they didn't think he was a good candidate for parole they would make him jam, another words serve the entire half of his highest number. "

respoonse wrote on September 2, 2007 8:09 pm:

" Response to the one who responded to So Long, for your misinformed information, yeah so you get about a dollar a day, do you not realize that with that measly 30 dollars a month, you also have to buy your personal hygiene items, etc... they don't cost too little either, you barely have enough to get enough personal items for the entire month with that 30 bucks. so NO he wouldn't have enough to save any money no matter how long he did time. "

re: to corrections wrote on September 2, 2007 8:12 pm:

" I don't think you did time in the Nebraska correctional system, because there is too solitary confinement!!!!!! What nebraska system are you talking about??? It's called segragation, administrative custody, and protective custody are the three levels of it. And it IS solitary confinement. Some inmates can serve 6months or more at a time in solitary confinement. You really should research your information better before spouting off. "

Thought wrote on September 2, 2007 8:54 pm:

" I thought that when someone was close to being paroled they had to have a job on the outside lined up already incase that the parole was granted? Yeah this story isn't really appealing to people b/c it more of a cop out for the guy. Suck it up and find a job and work your way up like lots of others have done. Everyone has there own struggles, but we learn to deal with them. The good thing about this guy is that he is seeking help for his bipolar disorder. You can do this! "

Living it!!! wrote on September 2, 2007 9:03 pm:

" You know, I really feel for all the uneducated, know it all, totally sane people in this town. Although I haven't had the privelege of walking through our justice system first hand, I do have first hand experience in what being bipolar really is all about. Someone very close to my heart is bipoloar and it is a struggle, day in and day out, not only for them, but for all those around them. And it isn't something a person has control over. They didn't decide one day to wake up and be that way, they were born that way and unfortunately it is misdiagnosed for years before finally caught. And once caught, it isn't easily fixed. It requires a lifetime of meds, and adjustments to meds, as well as lots of counseling, called psychotherapy. The bipolar has to learn how to see when things are getting out of control and most cannot. In between cycles, the bipolar can function and be well behaved and a hard worker. But they cannot control when things are going to change. They can only be open to the signs and that is where the therapy comes in. My bipolar can be a wonderful person, but when he cycles, and he is a rapid cycler, his world spins out of control and no medication offers an instant cure. He loses the ability to reason and therefore loses control. In between those cycles, he is always sorry for what he's done and questions how he could have been so stupid. But it is the disease that is in control during those cycles, not him. This doesn't justify him being able to get away with murder, but before we judge others, try walking a mile in someone else's shoes and for God's sake, educate yourself on the topic. Sadly, we live in a state that doesn't believe in helping others. I know how hard it is for a person who has no problems with the law to get help and be bipolar. It took years for my loved one to finally get help because the mental health system is severly overcrowded and we only want to help those who are a danger to themselves,currently doing drugs or in trouble with the law, but once a law violation is more than 6 months old, the person is no longer considered under that policy. Imagine being a parolee with no insurance trying to get help. And contrary to what the state parole officer says, higher taxes won't solve the delemma. Not here, because the money will never make it to those who need it. We are more worried about those foreigners who already have everything handed to them than our own citizens. "

JJ wrote on September 2, 2007 9:05 pm:

" Kick em' while their down. That's typical from Lincoln. I am however glad to see not all the comments are negative. Our system needs to change. I'm not talking giving handouts, but we need a system set up to transition parolees back into the real world. The State doesn't mind paying welfare to foreigners or people who have a bunch of kids they can't feed, clothe or shelter and these people don't even have to work. As long as they pop out another kid they can sit on their butt and collect. I feel for people who really want to change their lives and get treated like dirt because of their past. Maybe this guy is playing a game with the system, but the story does show that we as a society and government don't care about others. "

Herb wrote on September 2, 2007 10:09 pm:

" What a pile of low life we have in this town! No one here even knows this guy and you all have no mercy and don't feel sorry for him. Its the attitude of people who are in a pretty low place in life themselves. Makes them feel better to kick a guy while he is down, I guess. "

b s wrote on September 2, 2007 10:24 pm:

" Please, who are these agencies trying to fool. If you are a man in lincoln, Ne none of these agencies help me. My neighbor found out when he was injuried and needed assistance with his rent. All the agencies would do was give him food stamps. he is now in the process of losing his place. So I hope they help this guy. if not. Maybe he should go back to prison. I hear that you are well taken care of there. three square meals a day, bed, and nice room. I will pray for you. "

JPB wrote on September 2, 2007 10:33 pm:

" I have a relative who has bipolar disorder and has been locked up. People with this profile struggle everyday. Until the criminal justice system, the private sector, and the health care industry all get together to assist these people and their transition to the community, we're all at risk. Thanks for a great story! "

MENTAL ILLNESS AND CRIME wrote on September 3, 2007 12:48 am:

" Chief Casady's comments are very concerning. In his position, I think he should have in-depth knowledge on the role a severe mental illness such as bipolar plays in crime. No wonder LPD has no training on how to deal with mentally ill citizens, it starts at the top. Mental illness is a highly misunderstood disease. Anyone going through all the changes this man is would be suffering from major anxiety. Which one of us would not be anxious if you had no family, no job, no friends, no support system, no money, no phone, no insurance, no clothes, no car, etc... Granted, he was locked up due to choices he made, but I can guarantee you that his mental illness is what caused him to make the bad decisions that led up to it. My son is bipolar and I can tell you from personal experience that trying to seek help in Lincoln is horrible. By the time a severely mentally ill person is seeking help, they need it NOW or they may not go back for a long time. An untreated bipolar cannot sequence events to make it to a future appt. They completely misinterpret situations and you cannot convince them otherwise. And likewise, sane people misinterpret a bipolars actions as narcisstic. Once they finally do see a doctor, how do they pay for medicine? My son's prescription is over $800 per month. If he didn't have me to make the appointments, make sure he gets there, call every agency imaginable for drug assistance, he would be in this man's shoes. Judge this man all you would like, but for the grace of God this is one of your family members. I sure hope Chief Casady does not have any mentally ill family members because it's obvious, they would not get the support needed from him. "

Dan wrote on September 3, 2007 4:09 am:

" The thing that is sad is this man will probably go back to prison and our tax money pays for him to stay there. I don't know too many businesses that will hire a felon. Would you hire a felon? No good decent paying job would. So he is going to make very little money if he does find a job and probably live in a bad part of town. The thing that I don't get about our justice system is when we put a person away in prison for 25 years to pay for their crime, when they get out they can't handle society. Would you be able to handle society if you were locked up for 25 years and then all of a sudden turned out on the streets? No way. And you know that. The problem for this guy is he will never be able to live in our society. He is anti-social, mean, and violent. For these types we should just kill them? Should we kill them? I want a response here because it seems we don't know what to do with this guy right now!!!! Kill him or put him back in prison? "

RE: response to boo hoo wrote on September 3, 2007 5:14 am:

" You asked why I was at the Mission???? I took an out of town contract with a company and got shafted out of over $2500.00 and ended up without a place to live. Did I whine and cry about it??? NO.....I simply grabbed the old boot straps and went about the business of getting things back on track. Took a couple of months of hard work and tenacity. And that's exactly what this guy should do. The whimpering and whining needs to stop. It's not THAT hard to get back on your feet. Going around and putting in applications is a first step. I know rom firsthand experience that life at the Mission isn't easy. But you CAN get on your feet. All you have to do is try. "

Nurse RN wrote on September 3, 2007 8:35 am:

" I'm a nurse and I understand about Bipolar disorder and how one day you feel very calm and collected while other days you are just a manic wreck. I am glad to see that this guy is getting the psycological help that is needed for him to go on and try to start a new life. That is the toughest part is knowing that you have a mental illness and the second hardest part is admitting it to others. There are people out there to help just keep your head up and seek help and stay on your meds. People with mental illnesses tend to stop taking there meds b/c they "feel better" it's not that they feel better it's that they are working properly and if you were to suddenly stop then things can get way out of hand. Good luck! "

Attitude Problem wrote on September 3, 2007 9:47 am:

" I worked with a guy that was (and still is) manic-depressive, as they used to call "b-polar disorder" back then. He said it's all too common for patients to get the crazy idea that they can adjust their prescribed dosage themselves, and that it's like high blood pressure meds in that you can't stop taking it or takes less on your own say-so. "

NL wrote on September 3, 2007 10:25 am:

" People are criticizing others for not caring, but what should be done for the guy. What will you do then to help him. This is just one guy, according to people writing in, there are lots more out there with similar problems that haven't been in prison. Shouldn't we help those also. I can't afford it, can you. Can government, health agencies, their already stretched to the limit. Before you criticize us for not caring, figure out a way to help. "

$$ wrote on September 3, 2007 11:41 am:

" How do you expect any human being who has been an outcast in society and with mental problems make that transition to be able to be self supported. These are the victims who were locked up with no life skills,money,and support to help them to adjust to become honorable citizens. The system is setup as a revolving door back where they came from. "

yet again wrote on September 3, 2007 1:36 pm:

" And yet again alot of gripping and no answers. Good Job Lincoln "

abc123 wrote on September 3, 2007 2:21 pm:

" i can have some empathy for this man but no sympathy. It seems like he has paid for past mistakes but his attitude sucks. He needs to change his attitude if society is to give him another chance. I too suffer with mental illness but it doesnt give me a right to be a jerk. I have been in prison and was given a chance with a very good job. We cant control the past, we cant control a whole lot but we CAN control our attitude. Help yourself and all will fall into place. "

Open note to N L wrote on September 3, 2007 2:59 pm:

" NL. the killing you referred to most likely was about money....and the greed for it Do you see anything in this person's story that he is a violent person that would kill for money? Yes, he needs money but given the opportunity to keep busy doing worthwhile labor for someone who just might appreciate it may be rehab. You have just characterized him as a likely violent person who perhaps would kill for money without ever sitting down talking to him. Don't wish you ever to get B Polar disorder....but wish you could understand you may have something a bit worse...think about it a bit and measure your values as a human being before you pass judgement on others. "

Sad but true wrote on September 3, 2007 3:16 pm:

" He has already decided he is going back to prison, and he will. He is institutionalized. Either he is truly antisocial, or "the system" failed him decades ago. I would guess probably both. He sees everything as everyone else's fault, and as a result, he isn't going to succeed. "

pdl wrote on September 3, 2007 3:30 pm:

" I think there is no comparison when it comes to problems in other countries. But, for once, I wish we would focus on getting it together here in the "homeland". I feel this way because I see so much ani-American sentimentality out there, it's like they take our charity and spit in our faces. This while our own society goes down the toilet. Concerning Mr. Fitz, I don't see where there was a "plan" for him once he got out. Maybe a list of places to go for help isn't enough when you have a psychological discorder? Out of medication? No money? No place to live? And the advice is chin up, you can do it!? BS If this is how we transition ex cons back to society, it wouldn't surprise me to see him back on the inside. He also needs to go back to the "half way house" and get his money back IF he didn't stay more than 3 days. Sounds like they are taking advantage. (a welcome back to society?) "

pdl wrote on September 3, 2007 4:36 pm:

" The police chief has struck me as an intellegent and caring man. So I am wondering if his comments in this case were boiled down so much as to make him sound insensitive and ignorant. The media should be made to publish a full statement instead of writing a quote from a person. It's easy to take someone's words and twist it around to suit your article. If his statements are reflective of his attitude, I would have expected more from our police chief. How can he label this guy narcissistic when he's never met him? "

get real lincoln wrote on September 3, 2007 4:49 pm:

" This guy was in prison on an 8-15 yr sentence for ATTEMPTED robbery ... not murder. First of all, he got far more time than most child molesters do and second of all, how is he supposed to get dropped into society with nothing and "get a job" It is not that simple. We need more proactive services and less punitive mindsets. "

Anne wrote on September 3, 2007 10:57 pm:

" I haven't read through all of the comments, 61! My feelings are these, as a village we have failed this person. He is asking/seeking for help. The 'institution' of jail, has not provided him how to adjust to social perameters. He needs medication. Yet does not understand social procedures to fill prescriptions. Who's mistake! As a society, we'll end up paying for this too! Just because the system failed to transition/follow up this adult into community. "

R wrote on September 4, 2007 1:40 am:

" I agree we should quit griping and take action. If someone is impoverished and mentally ill and is seeking help we should provide doctor and prescription assistance. If we fail to willingly provide, we will be forced to provide assistance via incarceration in most instances. Now we're looking at a much higer cost. Stay with me on this one - Legalize marijuana. Many mentally ill self medicate with marijuana. Unlike alcohol, it calms you down. How often do you hear about someone becoming violent on pot? If alcohol is legal, pot should be. If legalized, you could monitor the THC content. You could free up jail space, reduce the corrections, court, and law inforcement personnel. Think of all the tax dollars that would be made - which could fund healthcare for the mentally ill. Lawmakers state that marijuana is the gateway drug and therefore should not be legalized. I agree it is the gateway drug because it is illegal and it puts you in an environment of additional illegal activity. Decriminalize it and it no longer is the gateway drug. I know many will disagree with this suggestion, but we do need to think of a solution without taxing us anymore than we already are. Early intervention is key. It's obvious from this story why so many men return to prison. Sad to say, but it's probably easier there than on the street. I am in no way suggesting incarceration is easy, but at least you know you will have food, medical care, and a place to sleep. Luxuries not afforded to those recently paroled. I truly never knew we set up people to fail like this. I don't know if he is a nice person or not, but he is sure in my thoughts. How many more just like him are released daily in the US? "

another open note to NL wrote on September 4, 2007 5:11 am:

" Posting to this blog is FREE. Why the mean-spiritedness? Because it is anonymous. As a previous poster noted, a lot of folks feel sorry only for themselves and don't know why. Ask yourself why, ok? "

Typical wrote on September 4, 2007 6:25 am:

" It's one thing to be in prison, learn and become a viable citizen. This man was given several opportunties upon he release and didnot fulfill them. Granted we have a mental condition going on so why was he released to the streets and not the Regional Center?? His lifestyle of sleeping in cars etc. is a beginning to a revolving door. But he REFUSED the mission's assistance. "

Steve U wrote on September 4, 2007 6:56 am:

" One thing never fails to amaze me - the level of bile in some of the comments in these pages. Wh