I agree the break-in’s had to be stopped, and about all the possible “bad” events that could’ve occurred. But unfortunately for Alan, the State of New York, and their justice system didn’t see or even bother to look at all of Alans’ very clear and very visible symptoms of his illness & they didn’t charge him for a SINGLE break-in. INSTEAD they gave him multiple years in prison for CUTTING DOWN TREES to build a SMALL SHELTER/SHACK! THEN after their “bright and just” police work of finding and catching him finally worked, they put him in a REGULAR Prison…THAT WAS NOT EVEN EQUIPT with MEDICAL/PSYCHIATRIC DOCTORS to DEAL with his Illness or to treat him. If it weren’t for this site, and a small handful of Journalists asking lots of questions for our family, he would NOT be receiving ANY help or TREATMENT even NOW about 2.5 years after they put him IN Prison & AFTER they had RELEASED HIM. SOOOO you tell me…what have the police of NEW YORK or their Justice System done to make sure that “another Allan” doesn’t come along and do pretty much the same thing eventually. Did the state of New York or their idea on proper treatment of Mentally Ill Patients in Prisons (meaning- no doctor-no treatment & mixed in with the general population) (Doc TREATMENT, MEDS & safe incarceration for mentally ill patients are protected & REQUIRED under Federal Guidelines) Did they get anything thing from this? I hope so, for all the Alan Como’s that are still out there and the ones who are currently housed in New York systems. Lawsuits have been filed already and won or settled against the state of New York, for already violating these federal laws involving incarcerated mentally ill inmates. But New York apparently didn’t learn anything from those suits either, or Alan’s situation would’ve been much different a long time ago.

because i care, cathy