M ental I llness C oncerns A ll	This case offers little conviction that psychiatrists will exercise authority in the neighbourhood when the new Mental health Bill reaches statute Their position as assertive leader using active intervention has gone. May it be that they do not accept responsibility now that they do not have the same leadership position which they were used to in the old mental hospitals. The community team is different - with the necessary information easily obtained in a hierarchical hospital and ward setting, not now being reported in by all members of the team, and now no longer being sought out either. Respect for privacy in the community contrasts with the open scrutiny of behaviour available in old mental hospitals? The power they had with WW did not get used. What did work was a recall to a locked hospital where staff had confidence in their authority. What did not work was a recall to a local 'Clinic'. The 'care in the community' leash here extends to 'out of sight'. He cannot be brought 'to heel' after he tests out the strength of purpose behind the imposition of the conditions put on him by the Tribunal when releasing him from detention into a normal neighbourhood. It might be that the forensic service did not operate in a neighbourhood style.The general community psychiatric service may have done better, with a better developed teamwork, and some engagement with community observers and reporters. He becomes - not ill enough to be recalled, not well enough to become respectable in the community. The Swiss playright Max Frisch .. in 'The Fire Raisers' .. tells the story ( to explain the accomodation to the rise of Hitler - of all dictatorship ) of those who find each small step insufficient to call a halt, so little having changed from the previous concession, that a final step becomes irretrievable, power having changed hands. Or, in other words -' it only takes the good to do nothing. ' [ a matter for libertarians to reflect upon when decrying the new Mental health Bill ] It may also be, here as elsewhere, that the police, knowing he was 'a psychiatric case' felt unable to step in to another supervisory system in progress. That will also be a muddle when 'dangerous pesonality' arrives. Inquiry Johns; W Williams Inquiry linka List         E-mail reaction is welcome mica@didgy.freeserve.co.uk