When news first broke of the tragedy in Arizona, the caustic political climate in both the nation and that state were blamed. While there are those who are sticking with that Meme, the facts are proving otherwise.
This is not to say that there are no public policy implications from this tragedy. There are profound implications, but they mostly have to do with the funding and treatment of mental illness and drug and alcohol addiction.
The fact is, we have underfunded treatment and overfunded criminal punishment. No one has any doubt that no expense is being paid prosecuting Jared Loughner, including seeking the death penalty for him.
If a fraction of that money had been available to hold him for diagnosis and treatment when he showed he was an obvious danger in, of all things, math class, we would not be talking about this tragedy (or for that matter, the tragedy in Blacksburg, Virginia).
The other profound issue is whether someone who is obviously distrubed can be forced into treatment. Mental Health advocates on the left as well as libertarians on the right have resisted mandatory treatment.
One has to ask, how many massacres does it take before we rethink the appropriateness of letting the insane refuse treatment?
If this tragedy has any effect, it will spearhead this discussion.
It should also prompt a discussion of what to do with the violently mentally ill. In my opinion, there should be no need for a trial. There should be no option to plead not guilty by reason of insanity. The available plea should be guilty by reason of insanity, with incarceration for the minimum sentence or until the person is no longer a danger - which ever comes LAST. In this case, because there seems to be planning, the penalty should be incarceration in a mental health facility for at least the minimum sentence of voluntary manslaughter (since planning was evident).
This individual may or may not respond to treatment and therapy. If he does, that is good - although he should still serve a sentence - either concurrent or consecutive for his crimes. If he cannot be reached with drugs and therapy, however, he should be euthanized - not for punishment, but for the protection of society.