ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mentally ill people in American prisons

Okay kiddo, so you know how some people have what we call "mental illnesses?" These are things like depression or bipolar disorder that can make it hard for them to feel happy or in control of their emotions.

Well, sometimes these people do things that are against the law, and they end up going to a place called a "prison." In some cases, they might go to a special kind of prison called a "psychiatric prison," where they can get help for their mental illness while also being punished for breaking the law.

But here's the thing: prisons aren't always set up to help people with mental illnesses. Sometimes the staff aren't trained to handle mental health issues, and sometimes the facilities don't have the right resources to treat these illnesses. So in some cases, mentally ill people in prisons might not be getting the help they need, which can make their illness worse and make it harder for them to follow the rules in the prison.

Overall, it's a really complicated issue, but the main thing to understand is that people with mental illnesses can end up in prison, and they might not always get the help they need while they're there.