Inside a mental hospital called jail
In this column, Nicholas Kristof informs readers of the minimal treatment available to people with mental health issues. He explains how today the only way many of these people can get help is by getting arrested. One example he uses is a mental health center in Chicago that is the largest in America and is a jail. Kristof provides shocking evidence that "more than half of prisoners in the United States have a mental health problem." Also, "in America, more than three times as many mentally ill people are housed in prisons and jails as in hospitals." Stunningly, compared to 60 years ago, there is a significant amount more of people not being treated for their mental illness. It is also common for people with these illnesses to commit crimes in order to be sent to jail to get help. By using this evidence, Kristof is trying to convince readers that the mentally ill are not provided with the treatment they deserve and, in turn, end up committing crimes. He is reflecting on an important issue in our society today.