Thoughtful Americans understand new controls on gun ownership are not the way to curtail mass violence such as that occurring all too frequently in the United States. In a great many cases, mentally unbalanced people are to blame.

A situation in Wisconsin illustrates the need for a re-evaluation of how we deal with the mentally ill.

Earlier this month in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Shannon Cole Bailey, 30, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stalking a terminally ill 13-year-old girl. Police reports indicate Bailey harassed her and her family repeatedly. Personnel at the hospital where she was being treated for liver disease had to escort Bailey off the premises. Then he went to their church, where he was arrested.

Precisely why Bailey was stalking the girl has not been reported.

It appears almost certain, however, that Bailey is dangerously unbalanced. Yet he will be in custody just 18 months. Two years of supervised release follow, and he has been ordered to leave Wisconsin after that.

Will his mental problems be resolved?

No one knows.

And no one knows what he may do next.

Eliminating threats such as those from people like Bailey is far more important than enacting new restrictions on firearms. Our nation could make real progress in reducing violent behavior if it devoted more resources to addressing mental health issues.