Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: The Case of Vince Li

Posted today on Teen Mental Health Blog:

By D. Venn & Dr. Stan Kutcher

The case of Vince Li [pictured], the man who beheaded a victim aboard a Greyhound bus last year, made international headlines yesterday as judge ruled Mr. Li was not criminally responsible due to mental illness. The ruling means that Vince Li will be treated in a mental institution instead of going to prison.

While the ruling is probably the right one, the resulting media frenzy is doing little to dispel the myth that people with mental disorders are violent. It also begs the question: what is the role and responsibility of media in reporting on cases that involve mental illness?

A selection of headlines from major news networks clearly seek to sensationalize the case of Vince Li and in the process make a link between violence and mental illness: ”Canada judge: Vince Li not responsible for bus beheading due to mental illness” (Associated Press), “Canada bus killer found mentally ill” (The West Australian), “Judge rules bus beheading suspect mentally ill” (CNN.com), “Crazy bus cannibal sent to mental institution” (Healthcare Industry Today). Even accompanying photographs (like the one above) attempt to “demonize” Li again reinforcing the idea that people with mental disorders look frightening.

While some people who suffer from mental illness do commit antisocial acts, mental illness does not equal criminality or violence - despite the media’s tendency to emphasize a suspected link (e.g. psychotic serial killers). In fact, people with mental illness are no more likely to commit violence than the general public, but they are 2.5 times more likely to be victimized and are more likely to inflict violent behaviours on themselves. Furthermore, the general public is more likely to be violently victimized by someone who does not have a mental illness rather than by someone who suffers from mental illness.

To read the entire posting, please click here.

Also see:

How the mental health system failed Vince Li (The Globe and Mail, March 6th)

Why a National Mental Health Strategy Is Critical to Preventing Future Tragedies (Reuters, March 5th)

Photograph by Woods of the Associated Press.