There are many things that people fear in this world. Most fears are due to lack of knowledge or understanding of someone or something. Those who behave abnormally have always been feared and persecuted. In ancient times, abnormal behavior was considered an evil spirit wreaking havoc on the human body. In order to release these evil spirits, a form of surgery called trepanation was discovered, in which an instrument was used to drill a circular hole in the skull. Over the years, other forms of methods have been used to cleanse the body of evil spirits. In the Middle Ages, those who exhibited abnormal behavior were given exorcists, and if that didn't work, then torture was used as another means. Many women were accused of witchcraft due to their strange actions, brought on by mental disorders. These women were continually submerged underwater until they confessed to witchcraft. Over time, more and more research and improvements have been made in the treatment of people with mental disorders, but they are far from perfect. Kelly Thomas was a 37-year-old homeless man living on the streets of Santa Ana, California. On July 11, 2011, he lost his life when two police officers beat him to death. Thomas was mentally ill and suffered from schizophrenia. A call was made to police to reports of a disheveled man shaking the handles of parked cars. The incident was filmed by a surveillance system, which showed one of the officers, Ramos, asking the homeless man's name and searching his backpack. "When Thomas doesn't obey, Ramos puts on a pair of latex gloves, clenches two fists and says to Thomas, 'Now can you see my fists?' They're getting ready to (expletive) get you up'” (Flaccus). Thomas tried to run away, but he was in the middle of paper.... Crisis intervention team programs teach law enforcement how to confront the mentally ill and how to handle "sticky" situations , which can have a considerable impact on the outcome of the crisis. These programs inform officers that deadly force is not the answer, but provide other means of controlling the crisis. Finally, these programs teach officers to understand people with mental disorders and raise awareness of misconceptions about people with these abnormal behaviors. The aim of the CIT is not to give special treatment to people with mental illness, but to look at the situation from a different perspective. The main concern with these programs is cost, but should the safety of others and prevention of potential deaths come at a price? The benefits of these programs outweigh the costs, but how many more deaths will it take for there to be change? ??