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1999
‘Back to Bedlam’ takes us inside Nashville County Jail where the signs of mental illness are everywhere. We look at the treatment of these individuals, many of them clearly not understanding why they are in prison in the first place. In one case a judge has referred the inmate to Tennessee’s state mental hospital, but 6 months later he is still in county jail. This status quo lead to devastating consequences for the inmate, sometimes even death, as well as a dangerous situation for staff not trained to deal with mental illness.
The procedures exposed in this segment are shocking, but unfortunately, standard for jails across the country. On any given day in 1999 there are 300,000 inmates behind bars whom are considered mentally ill and in need of treatment.
Today in 2024 the reality of mentally ill individuals ending up in prisons remains profound. The Supreme Court has upheld their right to treatment and most prisons attempt to employ mental health providers, but the issue is widespread.
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