One must surely ask whether we should celebrate the decision of judges to cancel over a thousand cases against the mentally ill, thus humanely ensuring that those not criminally responsible are not prosecuted, or whether we are all being duped by those feigning madness? (Is mental health a get out of jail card? 25/5). Painstakingly afflicting mood, thinking and behaviour, no one would wish mental illness on their worst enemy. Whether bipolar disorder, anxiety, dementia, schizophrenia, ADHD, PTSD or OCD, rational judgement may intermittently lapse in their “real” world, resulting in anti-social outcomes which lead to prosecution. The question might be posed that if a felon is incarcerated and later diagnosed with mental illness present at the time of the crime, should he then be released since we are all equal under the law? Also, since psychiatric patients may commit murders, obviously incarceration is demanded, so should we define the limits prosecutors should set where mental illness will not cause the case to be abandoned? The decisions from the bench should be individually scrutinised. Alan Sexton. North Parramatta 1June2024