My Kid Stole And I Am Not Supposed To Be Angry?

Hello,
Well my oldest boy just got home after being in jail,mental hospitals for three long years.
He has mental health problems (schizophrenia medication now) but knows right from wrong.
My kids also know how I feel about thieves!
He called me on the phone instead of his parole officer keeping him in jail until we could get to town, fact is he did not go to holdings! The store is letting him get a way with it with a fine!!
I am very angry about this!! This child knows right from wrong! This son treated me like I should not be angry! His parole officer acted like I should not be angry!
He is 17 (almost 18) now and when he was young I thought I taught this boy better, what happened? His brothers don't steal. None of us do!
I am embarrassed to go to town now. His mental health problems should not be an excuse! These people are "poor kid" and I am sick of it! I called the store to ask them why they let him get away with it, but no answer...
How would you handle this?
Thanks!

Empathy is when one does not want to understand or can understand another's way of thinking, I to have a form of schizophrinia and am not a thief.
Thank you for trying though.....

Wow, I'm glad I'm not your child. How rude of you to want him to be in jail for something like that when you know he has schizophrenia. You may know right from wrong and he sure may know right from wrong. But there are varying degrees to schizophrenia and to actually want your son to be in trouble because he may have had voices in his head saying if you do not steal this I'm going to hurt you. Yeah, you seem like a great parent, not! And to make it worse you're making Oregon parents look bad. It also makes me wonder how you are a top contributor.

I would be upset, but at the same time he does have mental illenss...does he have compulsive issues too? If he does then he may NOT have been able to stop himself. Mental illness can drive a person to do things that they don't necessarily WANT to do. Its a catch 22. I would say just talk to him and tell him that you are disappointed in his actions but leave it at that.

You are right to feel as you do. Since you have done all that you can do for him and given his age. You might want to sell out and move,leaving no forwarding address or phone number or this kid will be a thorn and embarrassment in your side until you die.

I agree, health probs are no excuse, especially if he has been raised well and he knows whats right and whats wrong.

you sound like you need empathy

I have a family member with uncontrolled schizophrenia. When he is hallucinating, he does not know right from wrong. When he's not, he does. If your son's illness was well under control, then of course it's possible he was stealing for the same reasons anyone would. If it wasn't, then it's certainly equally possible he wasn't morally culpable (and a judge would find the same thing).

If your own experience with schizophrenia is such that you haven't had hallucinations or voices that confuse your sense of right and wrong, that's terrific. That's not everyone's experience of schizophrenia. If it's unclear whether his illness is really under control, before you get angry, talk to his doctor. There are many people for whom medication does not fully (or even partly) control symptoms.

when you have a voice in your head saying if you dont steal i will do this to you.. or something in that area.. its scary..my brothers voices told him to smash all the cars on the street with a baseball bat and this kid was the sweetest guy i knew wouldnt hurt a fly..remember medication can fluctuate so can the mind..

and just because you have medication doesnt make the voices and visions and paranoias go away.. they just lessen them but they are still there!!.. think fo when your on the phone with somebody trying to talkto them and your kid keeps talking right into your other ear..your trying to hear the guy on the phone.. but its getting mixed up with what your kid is saying..u can tell your kid to shut up but u can tell the voices to