News

Institutionalized: Mental Health Behind Bars

America’s relationship with its mentally ill population continues to suffer as a result of inadequacies in the country’s mental health care system.

For the mentally ill in Chicago, the effects of this inadequacy are felt on a magnified scale, as budget cuts and a lack of community-based mental health resources have left these individuals with minimal support. More often than not, this means being repeatedly swept up into the criminal justice system for low-level, non-violent crimes

Videos by VICE

VICE News takes an immersive look at this issue by going inside the Cook County Jail and speaking with community members on Chicago’s south side.

Watch “Last Chance High”

Watch “Migrant Prisons of Libya: Europe or Die (Full Length)”