12-22-2013, 10:10 AM
![[Image: article-2106192-01B081E70000044D-925_306x382.jpg]](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/02/24/article-2106192-01B081E70000044D-925_306x382.jpg)
John Hinckley today
Fast Forward
On Friday, in a 106-page opinion expanding Hinckley’s monthly Virginia visits from 10 to 17 days, US District Judge Paul L. Friedman said he was persuaded that Hinckley “will not be a danger to himself or to others” if he is given more time away from the hospital.
Friedman’s order allows Hinckley to drive alone to specific destinations — which Levine said will help him live normally in Williamsburg — but requires him to carry a GPS-enabled cellphone during unsupervised activities.
The case in favor of longer unsupervised visits and eventual release
-Hinckley was deemed insane and therefore not responsible/guilty for the assassination attempt by a jury of his peers.
-His doctors say that his illness is in remission and has been for decades.
-He's spent over 30 years in a psychiatric facility being treated and the eventual goal of the facility is to release him, without restrictions, so that he can become a productive member of society. For now, he'll continue to spend about half his time at the facility and will be re-evaluated after every eight 17-day unsupervised home visits.
The Question
So, is granting Hinckley longer unsupervised visits the right thing to do, or do you think that he should be fully monitored/incarcerated indefinitely?