Cases where people do go to trial may end with the decision that the mental illness was a mitigating factor and should be considered in sentencing, but people still do time. Sometimes in psychiatric institutions, sometimes not. Their terms of parole may also include mandatory medications and counseling; in some cases, a court order can compel someone to take medication for life or face being put in an institution again. This is ‘getting off scot free,’ according to people who think they know what they’re talking about when it comes to mentally ill people accused of committing crimes.

(Source: se-smith)