Home / Series / VICE News / Aired Order / Season 2015 / Episode 58

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. 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.

English
  • Originally Aired April 7, 2015
  • Runtime 23 minutes
  • Network YouTube
  • Production Company VICE Media
  • Created January 29, 2026 by
    AddingStuffIsFun
  • Modified January 29, 2026 by
    AddingStuffIsFun