An expose of the mental-health crisis in America's courts and prisons reveals that nearly half of the nation's inmates are actually afflicted by a psychiatric problem, examines how inmates are denied treatment, and suggests a more humane approach.

The Chief of Psychiatry for Correctional Health Services in New York City presents a revelatory and compassionate memoir of her work inside Bellevue Hospital's forensic psychiatry unit to share insights into the cases, colleagues and system that have shaped her views about survival and humanity.