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[Julia]   We're spending the day   
      at the biggest Russian base

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in Central African Republic.

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00:00:09,718 --> 00:00:12,971
Wagner has close ties       
        to Putin and his allies.

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It's part of Russia's strategy

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00:00:14,347 --> 00:00:15,974
to spread             
        its influence globally.

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00:00:16,016 --> 00:00:19,060
speaking French

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Who exactly            
      were you surrendering to?

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both speaking French

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[Julia]   Why is that        
         such a sensitive thing

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to call these instructors     
               Wagner?

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[Seb]   Today, there are more    
     mentally ill in jail or prison

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than there are in hospitals.

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[] They're just put in       
      with general population.

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[Seb]   Old stereotypes creating   
          new levels of fear.

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Involuntary treatment       
            is necessary.

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[Seb]   You don't think it's time 
       to bring back the asylums?

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-No.                
   -[Eileen] I wanna talk to you.

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[Eileen]              
        Treat, release, repeat.

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It's like being          
         on a rollercoaster.

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dramatic music

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tense music

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[indistinct shouting]

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speaking native language

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[Julia]   The Russian military    
         trainers at this space

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are part of the world's      
           most inaccessible

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mercenary group, Wagner.

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They're mostly ex-military

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working for a notorious      
        private military company

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which has close ties       
        to Putin and his allies.

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Legally,             
       Wagner doesn't even exist.

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It's just a network        
              of companies

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operating under the radar

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which makes them nearly      
     impossible to hold accountable

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as they spread          
      Russian influence globally.

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They're sent around the world   
          mostly to intervene

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on behalf             
         of certain governments

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and advance            
          the Kremlin's agenda

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while flying under the radar   
         of international law.

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Recently, they were        
     reportedly deployed to Ukraine

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to take out            
          President Zelensky.

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They've had the most success

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in the              
       Central African Republic,

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where the mercenaries seized   
       on the national military's

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chaotic losing battle       
          against rebel groups

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to cement Wagner's position

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as invaluable           
           on the battlefield

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and as advisors          
           to the government.

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It's a model they're       
      already trying to replicate

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in other countries.

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Vitalii is the head        
         of Russian contractors

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in the Central African      
                Republic

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and the top security advisor   
           to the president.

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To keep the focus on their    
       legitimate activity here,

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he insisted we call his men    
          simply instructors.

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Vitalii agreed          
      to show us their operations

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across the country,        
        a rare offer for a group

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that's rejected          
          most media coverage.

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Why now do you think        
    it's important to show people

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what you're doing here?

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speaking Russian

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[Julia]   The Central African    
       Republic has been battered

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by a conflict that started    
       as a sectarian war in 2012

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and morphed            
      into fractured rebel groups

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fighting for resources      
        like diamonds and gold.

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Rebels have controlled      
      at least 3/4 of the country

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for most of the last decade.

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The national military       
            hasn't been able

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to regain this territory

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even with a 15,000-strong     
         UN peacekeeping force

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and training from the EU     
          and French military.

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[Vitalii]   speaking Russian

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[translator]            
        speaking native language

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speaking native language

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[both]   speaking native language

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[Julia]   I saw you speak      
       a bit of Russian yourself.

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speaking French

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[Julia]   speaking French

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[Narcisse]   speaking French

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[Julia]   After just a few years   
             on the ground,

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Russian presence turned      
          the tide of the war.

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[indistinct radio chatter]

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Since then, the narrative     
        of Russian success here

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helped legitimize Wagner

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in the eyes            
          of other governments

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dealing with instability.

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Now, they're cashing in      
      on conflicts across Africa.

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[pilot]              
        speaking native language

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In early 2021, an alliance

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of CAR's rebel groups       
          circled the Capitol,

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threatening to overthrow     
            the government.

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The Russians and their      
         national army trainees

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were the most visible       
         in pushing rebels back

93
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and in retaking major cities.

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Soon after,            
       the secretive mercenaries

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started to come out        
            of the shadows.

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President Touadéra's       
             administration

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deepened diplomatic ties     
              with Russia

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and struck the deal        
      for Wagner to operate here.

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Five years later, their ranks   
        have quadrupled in size.

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Russia has unseated France

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as the main            
         international partner,

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00:05:49,724 --> 00:05:52,685
and Vitalii has the ear      
           of the president.

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Given all of the challenges    
           you're facing,

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00:05:54,687 --> 00:05:58,900
what do you say to countries    
     like France, like the U.S.,

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00:05:58,941 --> 00:06:02,236
who are critical of your      
   military cooperation agreement

106
00:06:02,278 --> 00:06:03,196
with Russia?

107
00:06:03,237 --> 00:06:06,366
speaking French

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00:06:19,629 --> 00:06:23,299
So do you think          
   this criticism is unfair, then?

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00:06:23,341 --> 00:06:26,386
speaking French

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00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,767
What is your own          
       personal relationship,

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00:06:32,809 --> 00:06:34,727
what's your working        
         relationship like,

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00:06:34,769 --> 00:06:37,688
with your Russian         
          security advisor?

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00:06:37,730 --> 00:06:41,067
speaking French

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00:06:55,998 --> 00:06:57,834
[Julia]   Governments        
          working with Wagner

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00:06:57,875 --> 00:07:01,003
have to be willing to make    
         unsettling trade-offs.

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00:07:01,045 --> 00:07:03,423
Wagner's success         
          and CAR's stability

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00:07:03,464 --> 00:07:06,717
has come             
        at a massive human cost.

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00:07:06,759 --> 00:07:08,719
Nearly everywhere         
            Wagner has gone,

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00:07:08,761 --> 00:07:11,097
they've been accused       
             of war crimes

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00:07:11,139 --> 00:07:13,850
ranging from torture,       
             murder, rape,

121
00:07:13,891 --> 00:07:17,854
to disappearing people      
         and looting resources.

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00:07:17,895 --> 00:07:19,856
With all the allegations     
               of abuse,

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00:07:19,897 --> 00:07:23,234
Vitalii wanted to show us     
        some of their successes.

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00:07:24,777 --> 00:07:28,114
speaking French

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00:07:30,783 --> 00:07:32,034
[Julia]              
      As soon as we arrived here,

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00:07:32,076 --> 00:07:35,079
the Russian contractors wanted 
               to show us

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00:07:35,121 --> 00:07:37,874
about 200 guys           
     who they say are ex-rebels

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who have recently surrendered

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completely voluntarily       
          without a fight.

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00:07:41,711 --> 00:07:43,004
We're not really sure

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what exactly they want us     
             to do next.

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00:07:46,507 --> 00:07:47,717
These men were recently

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00:07:47,758 --> 00:07:49,510
Wagner's enemies         
          on the battlefield.

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00:07:49,552 --> 00:07:52,930
Now, they were being       
          trotted out for us.

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00:07:52,972 --> 00:07:55,141
We were told to speak       
            to Colonel Kiri,

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00:07:55,183 --> 00:07:56,934
a former rebel          
         with one of the groups

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00:07:56,976 --> 00:07:58,728
trying to overthrow        
            the government.

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00:07:58,769 --> 00:08:01,481
He's now working         
           with the Russians.

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00:08:01,522 --> 00:08:04,817
speaking native language

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00:08:20,625 --> 00:08:21,876
[Julia] When you surrendered,

141
00:08:21,918 --> 00:08:24,504
who exactly            
      were you surrendering to?

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speaking native language

143
00:08:37,558 --> 00:08:38,768
[soldier]   speaking French

144
00:08:38,809 --> 00:08:42,188
-Pardon?             
       -[both]   speaking French

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00:08:44,982 --> 00:08:47,193
Our hosts pulled Colonel Kiri   
          out of the interview

146
00:08:47,235 --> 00:08:50,738
and cut it short after      
     he referred to them as Wagner.

147
00:08:50,780 --> 00:08:53,282
Most of the world knows      
          the group as Wagner,

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00:08:53,324 --> 00:08:56,911
but it's clearly a label     
       that they're sensitive to.

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00:08:56,953 --> 00:08:59,956
[Vitalii]   speaking French

150
00:08:59,997 --> 00:09:03,376
[Julia]   speaking French

151
00:09:20,309 --> 00:09:23,938
[both]   speaking French

152
00:09:31,862 --> 00:09:33,364
[Julia]   Russia wants        
         to keep the spotlight

153
00:09:33,406 --> 00:09:36,033
on the legitimate part      
       of their activities here,

154
00:09:36,075 --> 00:09:38,286
but it's an open secret      
            that it's Wagner

155
00:09:38,327 --> 00:09:39,829
that's operating in CAR.

156
00:09:39,870 --> 00:09:43,583
[Vitalii]   speaking Russian

157
00:10:03,477 --> 00:10:06,439
Why, though, is it so sensitive

158
00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:08,733
to call these instructors     
               Wagner?

159
00:10:08,774 --> 00:10:12,111
speaking Russian

160
00:10:14,238 --> 00:10:15,948
[Julia]              
       But it's not just rumors.

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00:10:15,990 --> 00:10:17,825
There's evidence         
          they're responsible

162
00:10:17,867 --> 00:10:18,993
for arbitrary arrests,

163
00:10:19,035 --> 00:10:21,829
mass rape,            
       and extrajudicial killing.

164
00:10:21,871 --> 00:10:25,124
We were able to confirm      
         at least 500 incidents

165
00:10:25,166 --> 00:10:28,002
involving Russian contractors   
           and their trainees

166
00:10:28,044 --> 00:10:29,754
in the last year alone.

167
00:10:29,795 --> 00:10:31,672
Many of the abuses        
           they're accused of

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00:10:31,714 --> 00:10:34,091
take place in areas        
           rich in resources

169
00:10:34,133 --> 00:10:36,427
in part because          
        they reportedly get paid

170
00:10:36,469 --> 00:10:37,720
by the government with access

171
00:10:37,762 --> 00:10:41,057
to the country's vast       
        gold and diamond mines.

172
00:10:41,098 --> 00:10:44,185
In the town of Ndassima,     
     at least 12 people were killed

173
00:10:44,226 --> 00:10:47,772
in just one incident       
           earlier this year.

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00:10:47,813 --> 00:10:51,150
speaking French

175
00:11:15,883 --> 00:11:19,220
speaking French

176
00:11:21,681 --> 00:11:25,017
speaking French

177
00:11:26,727 --> 00:11:28,312
[Julia]   Several civilians     
            with accusations

178
00:11:28,354 --> 00:11:30,731
against the Russians       
       told us they don't believe

179
00:11:30,773 --> 00:11:32,817
they'll get justice        
          from the authorities

180
00:11:32,858 --> 00:11:35,444
who are working          
           with the Russians.

181
00:11:35,486 --> 00:11:38,072
We spent weeks in CAR       
       with our Russian contacts.

182
00:11:38,114 --> 00:11:39,240
It was unprecedented

183
00:11:39,281 --> 00:11:42,034
they allowed us access      
          in the first place.

184
00:11:42,076 --> 00:11:44,537
Reporting on Wagner is      
           nearly impossible

185
00:11:44,578 --> 00:11:46,247
and can be deadly.

186
00:11:46,288 --> 00:11:47,248
In 2018,

187
00:11:47,289 --> 00:11:49,250
three Russian journalists were 
            murdered in CAR

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00:11:49,291 --> 00:11:53,003
in the middle of their own    
       investigation into Wagner.

189
00:11:55,548 --> 00:11:56,966
-[Julia] Really?          
          -[producer] Yep.

190
00:11:57,007 --> 00:11:59,051
They just went in front of us?

191
00:12:00,928 --> 00:12:02,680
Did they look at us?

192
00:12:06,892 --> 00:12:08,060
[Julia] They want us to know

193
00:12:08,102 --> 00:12:09,895
that they know           
          what we're up to.

194
00:12:09,937 --> 00:12:11,689
When we tried to film       
             without them,

195
00:12:11,731 --> 00:12:13,065
we were followed.

196
00:12:13,107 --> 00:12:15,860
We wanted to do an interview   
      with a national army trainee

197
00:12:15,901 --> 00:12:17,903
who said he witnessed       
            Russian soldiers

198
00:12:17,945 --> 00:12:20,197
committing crimes         
           against civilians.

199
00:12:20,239 --> 00:12:21,907
But as soon as we got there,

200
00:12:21,949 --> 00:12:24,952
armed men were waiting      
             to arrest us.

201
00:12:24,994 --> 00:12:26,829
It was ultimately         
            Vitalii himself

202
00:12:26,871 --> 00:12:29,457
who secured our release.

203
00:12:29,498 --> 00:12:33,169
The Russians blame accusations 
     against them on misinformation

204
00:12:33,210 --> 00:12:35,296
and they have           
      their own propaganda machine

205
00:12:35,337 --> 00:12:38,924
pumping out an entirely      
          different narrative.

206
00:12:38,966 --> 00:12:41,594
Vitalii wanted us to see     
        that many local leaders

207
00:12:41,635 --> 00:12:43,304
support their mission in CAR

208
00:12:43,345 --> 00:12:46,515
and took us to a meeting     
          in a central mosque.

209
00:12:46,557 --> 00:12:49,727
[civilian]   speaking French

210
00:12:54,899 --> 00:12:58,277
[Vitalii]   speaking French

211
00:13:07,953 --> 00:13:11,457
speaking French

212
00:13:12,458 --> 00:13:13,959
[Julia]              
     Most in the meeting were quick

213
00:13:14,001 --> 00:13:16,045
to praise the Russians      
        for bringing stability,

214
00:13:16,086 --> 00:13:18,047
but their reputation       
              for violence

215
00:13:18,088 --> 00:13:20,090
is effective           
          in instilling fear.

216
00:13:20,132 --> 00:13:23,928
No one wanted to confront them 
         except for one lawyer.

217
00:13:23,969 --> 00:13:27,306
speaking French

218
00:13:39,026 --> 00:13:42,363
[Vitalii]   speaking French

219
00:13:44,281 --> 00:13:47,701
[Youssouf]   speaking French

220
00:13:49,078 --> 00:13:52,456
[Vitalii]   speaking French

221
00:13:59,171 --> 00:14:02,550
speaking French

222
00:14:02,591 --> 00:14:05,845
[Julia]   Accusations against    
     the group continue to pile up,

223
00:14:05,885 --> 00:14:08,097
but Wagner is still able     
           to keep advancing

224
00:14:08,138 --> 00:14:09,890
Russia's agenda abroad.

225
00:14:09,932 --> 00:14:12,768
The way they operate is      
         intentionally opaque.

226
00:14:12,810 --> 00:14:13,936
It's hard to pin them down

227
00:14:13,978 --> 00:14:16,814
on their strategy         
            or their crimes.

228
00:14:16,856 --> 00:14:20,192
speaking Russian

229
00:14:27,533 --> 00:14:30,661
Every time you get a report,    
    you do a local investigation?

230
00:14:30,703 --> 00:14:31,912
[Vitalii] Of course. Of course.

231
00:14:31,954 --> 00:14:32,997
[Julia]              
      When you've investigated

232
00:14:33,038 --> 00:14:34,123
all of these rumors,

233
00:14:34,164 --> 00:14:36,834
you haven't found one example

234
00:14:36,876 --> 00:14:39,211
where a Russian soldier has    
            behaved badly

235
00:14:39,253 --> 00:14:40,254
towards a civilian?

236
00:14:40,296 --> 00:14:41,881
-Mm-hmm.              
          -[Julia] Not one?

237
00:14:41,922 --> 00:14:42,840
Not one.

238
00:14:42,882 --> 00:14:46,218
speaking Russian

239
00:14:58,772 --> 00:14:59,773
[Julia] But you know.

240
00:14:59,815 --> 00:15:01,233
You've been here          
         long enough to know

241
00:15:01,275 --> 00:15:03,652
that very few people have     
              any faith

242
00:15:03,694 --> 00:15:04,820
in the justice system here.

243
00:15:04,862 --> 00:15:07,364
People hear that when       
    they went to the authorities,

244
00:15:07,406 --> 00:15:09,033
then they got killed        
      for sharing their story.

245
00:15:09,074 --> 00:15:10,284
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

246
00:15:10,326 --> 00:15:13,871
So you can't just say to people 
    that they should report this.

247
00:15:13,913 --> 00:15:15,205
They're afraid.

248
00:15:15,247 --> 00:15:18,417
speaking French

249
00:15:18,459 --> 00:15:22,129
Yes, but it's difficult      
         to fake a rape test

250
00:15:22,171 --> 00:15:24,548
It's so difficult,         
         but you never know.

251
00:15:24,590 --> 00:15:26,258
But they're telling me       
        they're very scared,

252
00:15:26,300 --> 00:15:28,635
and when you see Russians     
     around, you can understand.

253
00:15:28,677 --> 00:15:29,637
They have masks on.

254
00:15:29,678 --> 00:15:31,138
You guys have big guns.

255
00:15:31,180 --> 00:15:32,556
Like, of course          
       they're afraid of you.

256
00:15:32,598 --> 00:15:33,557
They're scared.

257
00:15:33,599 --> 00:15:36,769
speaking French

258
00:15:40,439 --> 00:15:43,984
[Julia]   So few accusations     
       are actually investigated,

259
00:15:44,026 --> 00:15:46,820
and yet Wagner's expansion    
          across the continent

260
00:15:46,862 --> 00:15:48,405
continues unchecked

261
00:15:48,447 --> 00:15:50,240
with new units          
           recently deployed

262
00:15:50,282 --> 00:15:53,327
to Mali, Sudan, even Ukraine.

263
00:15:53,369 --> 00:15:55,704
And despite            
      international condemnation,

264
00:15:55,746 --> 00:15:58,958
desperate governments       
         will keep hiring them.

265
00:15:58,999 --> 00:16:02,628
Why do you think          
   the UN peacekeeping forces here

266
00:16:02,670 --> 00:16:05,965
and the French forces are     
      so critical of your work?

267
00:16:06,006 --> 00:16:09,301
speaking Russian

268
00:16:24,274 --> 00:16:27,277
dramatic music

269
00:16:31,198 --> 00:16:34,159
solemn music

270
00:16:42,501 --> 00:16:44,877
[Seb] So when's the last time   
            you saw him?

271
00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:49,216
January 4th is           
      the last time I saw him.

272
00:16:49,258 --> 00:16:52,678
He cannot meet           
        his own basic needs.

273
00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,222
Food, clothing, shelter.

274
00:16:55,264 --> 00:16:56,432
And when's the last time      
             you talked?

275
00:16:56,472 --> 00:16:59,727
The last time we talked,      
    he denied that he was my son

276
00:16:59,768 --> 00:17:01,145
and he hung up on me.

277
00:17:01,186 --> 00:17:04,314
He's got a false fixed delusion 
             against us

278
00:17:04,356 --> 00:17:06,150
that we are his enemies.

279
00:17:06,191 --> 00:17:08,444
[Seb]   Eileen and Jack's son    
         has been hospitalized

280
00:17:08,485 --> 00:17:10,446
four times            
        in the past seven months

281
00:17:10,487 --> 00:17:12,114
for severe mental illness.

282
00:17:12,156 --> 00:17:13,532
He keeps getting discharged

283
00:17:13,574 --> 00:17:16,035
and then breaking into      
       his parents' beach cottage

284
00:17:16,076 --> 00:17:17,119
here in Connecticut.

285
00:17:17,161 --> 00:17:18,245
That's the cottage too.

286
00:17:18,287 --> 00:17:19,246
Oh, my God.

287
00:17:19,288 --> 00:17:21,373
[Eileen] He was          
         sawing up furniture

288
00:17:21,415 --> 00:17:23,459
and burning it           
          in the fireplace.

289
00:17:23,500 --> 00:17:27,379
He's been in that house      
    for roughly two weeks again,

290
00:17:27,421 --> 00:17:30,591
so we don't know what we're    
   gonna find when we go in there.

291
00:17:30,632 --> 00:17:32,176
-I'll follow behind you guys    
      -Are you gonna follow us?

292
00:17:32,217 --> 00:17:33,260
-Okay.               
            -[Jack] Okay.

293
00:17:33,302 --> 00:17:34,762
[Seb] All right.

294
00:17:34,803 --> 00:17:39,141
So this cottage is a place     
     that Jack and Eileen's son

295
00:17:39,183 --> 00:17:41,727
has been coming to         
         since he was a kid.

296
00:17:41,769 --> 00:17:43,479
He keeps going back there

297
00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:45,397
after getting released       
           from hospital,

298
00:17:45,439 --> 00:17:47,983
and this is the first time     
         that they're gonna

299
00:17:48,025 --> 00:17:49,902
have seen him since January.

300
00:17:49,943 --> 00:17:52,905
tense music

301
00:17:55,949 --> 00:17:57,117
Oh, he changed the lock.

302
00:17:57,159 --> 00:17:59,119
[Eileen]              
   He changed the lock? You sure?

303
00:17:59,161 --> 00:18:02,456
[Jack] I'm gonna see        
          if I can open it.

304
00:18:03,832 --> 00:18:04,708
Oh, my goodness.

305
00:18:04,750 --> 00:18:05,751
Look at this room!

306
00:18:05,793 --> 00:18:08,420
-[Eileen] Oh, wow.         
     -[Jack] The bed is up here.

307
00:18:08,962 --> 00:18:10,297
[Eileen] Listen to me.

308
00:18:10,339 --> 00:18:12,758
We haven't seen you        
           in two months.

309
00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:14,426
I wanna talk to you.

310
00:18:18,305 --> 00:18:19,848
[Jack] Look at this!

311
00:18:19,890 --> 00:18:21,266
[Eileen sighs]

312
00:18:21,308 --> 00:18:23,977
[Jack] I mean, we have--      
         we gotta stop this.

313
00:18:24,019 --> 00:18:25,813
This is just--

314
00:18:25,854 --> 00:18:26,855
[Seb]   The level of stress,

315
00:18:26,897 --> 00:18:29,983
I mean,              
     how much does it occupy your--

316
00:18:30,025 --> 00:18:31,485
your lives right now?

317
00:18:31,527 --> 00:18:35,197
It's like--it's like        
     being on a roller coaster.

318
00:18:35,239 --> 00:18:37,449
You know, you'd be up       
           thinking, like,

319
00:18:37,491 --> 00:18:39,159
"Oh, it's gonna work this time.

320
00:18:39,201 --> 00:18:41,245
"This is a really good       
          hospitalization.

321
00:18:41,286 --> 00:18:44,123
Everybody's looking like      
   they're really gonna help him,"

322
00:18:44,164 --> 00:18:46,125
and then somebody         
           discharges him,

323
00:18:46,166 --> 00:18:47,459
and then it's like--        
             [whistles]

324
00:18:47,501 --> 00:18:51,505
Right down,            
   right back to square one again.

325
00:18:51,547 --> 00:18:53,090
Why aren't they able        
            to hold them

326
00:18:53,132 --> 00:18:54,383
at the hospital for longer?

327
00:18:54,424 --> 00:18:55,592
Why does he get discharged?

328
00:18:55,634 --> 00:18:57,678
[Eileen] According to       
       Connecticut state law,

329
00:18:57,719 --> 00:19:01,890
he was no longer exhibiting    
       symptoms of psychosis,

330
00:19:01,932 --> 00:19:03,475
so we had to discharge him.

331
00:19:03,517 --> 00:19:05,352
And it's just a cycle.

332
00:19:05,394 --> 00:19:06,979
Treat, release, repeat.

333
00:19:07,020 --> 00:19:10,440
It just keeps going        
          on and on and on.

334
00:19:11,567 --> 00:19:13,610
[Seb]   Today, there are       
           10 million people

335
00:19:13,652 --> 00:19:15,487
with mental illness        
              in the U.S.

336
00:19:15,529 --> 00:19:17,322
A large number are        
           in an endless loop

337
00:19:17,364 --> 00:19:19,366
of homelessness or jail,

338
00:19:19,408 --> 00:19:20,909
and many             
        of the public resources

339
00:19:20,951 --> 00:19:22,327
that are available for free

340
00:19:22,369 --> 00:19:24,288
have been diverted        
           to another crisis.

341
00:19:24,329 --> 00:19:27,332
The pandemic has created      
         a shortage of beds

342
00:19:27,374 --> 00:19:29,543
and other services         
     and pushed the mentally ill

343
00:19:29,585 --> 00:19:31,879
onto the streets          
       in staggering numbers.

344
00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,756
[Yvannie] Do you have       
     a mental health diagnosis?

345
00:19:34,798 --> 00:19:36,133
What is it?

346
00:19:37,759 --> 00:19:40,679
[Yvannie] Manic depression     
        and bipolar disorder.

347
00:19:40,721 --> 00:19:41,471
Okay.

348
00:19:41,513 --> 00:19:42,848
[Seb]               
       Some don't even want help,

349
00:19:42,890 --> 00:19:43,891
and with this population

350
00:19:43,932 --> 00:19:46,143
more visible than ever      
        in major urban centers,

351
00:19:46,185 --> 00:19:47,895
public concern is on the rise,

352
00:19:47,936 --> 00:19:51,231
exacerbated by isolated      
         incidents of violence.

353
00:19:51,273 --> 00:19:53,775
[journalist]   61-year-old      
        Martial Simon killed Go

354
00:19:53,817 --> 00:19:55,569
when he shoved her        
             into the path

355
00:19:55,611 --> 00:19:56,820
of an oncoming train.

356
00:19:56,862 --> 00:19:58,280
[Seb]   The New York         
             subway pushing

357
00:19:58,322 --> 00:20:00,741
of Michelle Go in January     
          is a case in point.

358
00:20:00,782 --> 00:20:02,701
Her killer suffered        
           from schizophrenia

359
00:20:02,743 --> 00:20:04,870
and had been discharged      
             from hospitals

360
00:20:04,912 --> 00:20:06,538
at least 20 times.

361
00:20:06,580 --> 00:20:08,540
Even more recently,        
           this mass shooting

362
00:20:08,582 --> 00:20:10,334
on a Brooklyn subway platform.

363
00:20:10,375 --> 00:20:12,294
The man behind it         
           had openly posted

364
00:20:12,336 --> 00:20:13,712
about his declining        
             mental health,

365
00:20:13,754 --> 00:20:17,424
blaming systemic failures     
      for worsening his condition.

366
00:20:17,466 --> 00:20:18,634
With every incident,

367
00:20:18,675 --> 00:20:20,844
the media coverage        
       raises the same question.

368
00:20:20,886 --> 00:20:22,638
Why weren't            
         these people committed

369
00:20:22,679 --> 00:20:25,057
to a mental institution      
               years ago?

370
00:20:27,726 --> 00:20:30,812
What goes through your mind    
    when you read about incidents

371
00:20:30,854 --> 00:20:33,899
like what happened         
    to Michelle Go on the subway?

372
00:20:33,941 --> 00:20:35,442
[Harvey] I'm devastated.

373
00:20:35,484 --> 00:20:40,113
What worries me is         
   the quick moves to lock 'em up,

374
00:20:40,155 --> 00:20:41,365
round 'em up.

375
00:20:41,406 --> 00:20:44,284
[Seb]   Harvey Rosenthal is     
      a patients' rights advocate

376
00:20:44,326 --> 00:20:47,246
and in recovery          
      from mental illness himself.

377
00:20:47,287 --> 00:20:49,122
He thinks             
      unless someone poses a risk,

378
00:20:49,164 --> 00:20:51,833
they should be free to choose   
      their own path to recovery,

379
00:20:51,875 --> 00:20:54,544
utilizing services        
      that exist in the community,

380
00:20:54,586 --> 00:20:57,256
like this Manhattan        
            drop-in center,

381
00:20:57,297 --> 00:20:59,258
and that calls          
         to bring back a system

382
00:20:59,299 --> 00:21:01,426
of state-funded          
        psychiatric institutions

383
00:21:01,468 --> 00:21:03,220
where the mentally ill      
             could be sent

384
00:21:03,262 --> 00:21:04,888
for long-term involuntary care

385
00:21:04,930 --> 00:21:08,058
are both unhelpful        
             and unethical.

386
00:21:08,100 --> 00:21:09,101
We can recover.

387
00:21:09,142 --> 00:21:10,269
We should have rights.

388
00:21:10,310 --> 00:21:11,853
We should live           
          in the community.

389
00:21:11,895 --> 00:21:15,148
This move towards coercion     
          is a pure excuse

390
00:21:15,190 --> 00:21:17,484
for not having           
         the right services.

391
00:21:17,526 --> 00:21:20,445
You don't think it's time     
     to bring back the asylums?

392
00:21:20,487 --> 00:21:21,947
No.

393
00:21:22,990 --> 00:21:23,907
[Seb]   50 years ago,

394
00:21:23,949 --> 00:21:25,742
the mentally ill were       
               locked up.

395
00:21:25,784 --> 00:21:27,494
Psychiatric treatment       
               took place

396
00:21:27,536 --> 00:21:28,704
mostly in long-term,

397
00:21:28,745 --> 00:21:30,580
purpose-built facilities     
               like this.

398
00:21:30,622 --> 00:21:33,625
Kings Park Psychiatry Center    
          is now abandoned,

399
00:21:33,667 --> 00:21:36,044
and today,             
       it looks pretty scary,

400
00:21:36,086 --> 00:21:39,298
but it was one of a network    
           of state hospitals

401
00:21:39,339 --> 00:21:40,716
built in the 1800s

402
00:21:40,757 --> 00:21:43,218
to house             
       and therapeutically treat

403
00:21:43,260 --> 00:21:44,886
those with mental illness.

404
00:21:44,928 --> 00:21:47,556
But asylums became infamous    
           for overcrowding,

405
00:21:47,597 --> 00:21:50,100
inhumane conditions,       
     and forced medical treatments

406
00:21:50,142 --> 00:21:52,811
on people who were often     
      held without their consent.

407
00:21:52,853 --> 00:21:55,814
These abuses combined with    
      advances in drug treatments

408
00:21:55,856 --> 00:21:58,567
and changes in federal funding 
           led to a movement

409
00:21:58,608 --> 00:22:01,528
known as             
        deinstitutionalization.

410
00:22:01,570 --> 00:22:03,697
Between 1955 and 2016,

411
00:22:03,739 --> 00:22:05,490
the number            
        of public hospital beds

412
00:22:05,532 --> 00:22:07,659
dropped by 97%,

413
00:22:07,701 --> 00:22:09,786
meaning those unable       
         to afford private care

414
00:22:09,828 --> 00:22:12,164
were mostly left         
        to fend for themselves.

415
00:22:12,205 --> 00:22:14,416
You think             
       deinstitutionalization

416
00:22:14,458 --> 00:22:15,459
was a mistake?

417
00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:16,251
No.

418
00:22:16,293 --> 00:22:18,295
I think it was well-intended,

419
00:22:18,337 --> 00:22:20,797
but we needed to have       
         a plan B in place,

420
00:22:20,839 --> 00:22:23,717
and there really wasn't      
         a plan B in place.

421
00:22:23,759 --> 00:22:25,427
[Seb]               
      Dominic Sisti is a professor

422
00:22:25,469 --> 00:22:27,763
in the Department of Medical   
        Ethics and Health Policy

423
00:22:27,804 --> 00:22:29,681
at the University         
            of Pennsylvania.

424
00:22:29,723 --> 00:22:32,392
In 2016, he penned        
           an academic paper

425
00:22:32,434 --> 00:22:34,561
arguing that America's      
          mental health crisis

426
00:22:34,603 --> 00:22:37,147
could be fixed          
       by bringing back asylums,

427
00:22:37,189 --> 00:22:38,523
coercive treatment and all.

428
00:22:38,565 --> 00:22:41,610
Getting arrested,         
   being discharged from hospital,

429
00:22:41,651 --> 00:22:44,279
that that's something       
    that just repeats and repeats

430
00:22:44,321 --> 00:22:45,530
without any kind of solution.

431
00:22:45,572 --> 00:22:46,656
[Dominic]             
       Treating and streeting.

432
00:22:46,698 --> 00:22:48,992
That's what            
     the psychiatrists call it.

433
00:22:49,034 --> 00:22:51,912
You treat, you stabilize      
         a person in crisis,

434
00:22:51,953 --> 00:22:54,122
and you try to find them      
           a place to go.

435
00:22:54,164 --> 00:22:54,915
No place to go.

436
00:22:54,956 --> 00:22:56,875
When you look around,       
          you see the most

437
00:22:56,917 --> 00:22:58,627
vulnerable people         
         happen to be people

438
00:22:58,668 --> 00:23:00,253
with serious mental illness.

439
00:23:00,295 --> 00:23:01,671
They belong            
       in a hospital setting,

440
00:23:01,713 --> 00:23:04,800
in a therapeutic setting where   
   they can potentially get better

441
00:23:04,841 --> 00:23:06,718
and move on with their lives.

442
00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:11,056
There's an argument        
    that if you engage with them

443
00:23:11,098 --> 00:23:12,391
on a voluntary basis,

444
00:23:12,432 --> 00:23:16,686
the recovery is possible      
    for anybody without coercion.

445
00:23:16,728 --> 00:23:19,106
I mean,              
    I think that's largely true,

446
00:23:19,147 --> 00:23:21,650
but I do think there's gonna be 
         a subset of people

447
00:23:21,691 --> 00:23:23,276
who really need,

448
00:23:23,318 --> 00:23:27,489
frankly, to be           
       coaxed into treatment,

449
00:23:27,531 --> 00:23:28,698
coerced into treatment.

450
00:23:28,740 --> 00:23:30,742
And for those that say       
           we already have

451
00:23:30,784 --> 00:23:33,412
these community services

452
00:23:33,453 --> 00:23:36,832
to deal with the problem      
             as needed,

453
00:23:36,873 --> 00:23:40,001
what's your response to that?

454
00:23:40,043 --> 00:23:41,962
Visit a jail.

455
00:23:42,003 --> 00:23:44,131
[Seb]   Across the country,     
           jails have become

456
00:23:44,172 --> 00:23:48,093
the de facto modern        
        replacement for asylums.

457
00:23:48,135 --> 00:23:50,095
Today, people with        
        severe mental illnesses

458
00:23:50,137 --> 00:23:53,306
are ten times more likely     
       to be in a jail or prison

459
00:23:53,348 --> 00:23:54,808
than in a hospital bed.

460
00:23:54,850 --> 00:23:56,893
In fact, nearly half       
         of the people in jail

461
00:23:56,935 --> 00:24:00,021
right now nationwide are     
      people with mental illness.

462
00:24:00,063 --> 00:24:01,648
[Steve] Do you mind        
           coming forward?

463
00:24:01,690 --> 00:24:03,358
Have you ever been treated

464
00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,193
for any kind            
       of mental health issue?

465
00:24:05,235 --> 00:24:07,446
[Seb]   Miami Dade County Judge   
             Steve Leifman

466
00:24:07,487 --> 00:24:09,448
has figured out          
         a different approach:

467
00:24:09,489 --> 00:24:11,533
a multi-part program       
           focused on keeping

468
00:24:11,575 --> 00:24:13,285
the mentally ill out of jail.

469
00:24:13,326 --> 00:24:16,246
Once arrested, individuals are 
      assessed for mental illness

470
00:24:16,288 --> 00:24:19,458
and removed from general     
      population if they qualify.

471
00:24:19,499 --> 00:24:21,668
Then, rather than         
        treating and streeting,

472
00:24:21,710 --> 00:24:24,171
they can agree to complete    
     a community-based care program

473
00:24:24,212 --> 00:24:26,590
in exchange for getting      
          the charges dropped.

474
00:24:26,631 --> 00:24:28,258
It's not complicated.

475
00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:29,718
You have two choices.

476
00:24:29,759 --> 00:24:31,595
You can release people       
           with treatment

477
00:24:31,636 --> 00:24:33,430
or without treatment,       
      and we know what happens

478
00:24:33,472 --> 00:24:35,348
when you release them       
         without treatment.

479
00:24:35,390 --> 00:24:38,018
[Seb]   For the last 20 years,    
      the county's program has had

480
00:24:38,059 --> 00:24:40,562
a dramatic impact on how     
       those with mental illness

481
00:24:40,604 --> 00:24:43,690
are cycled through        
      the criminal justice system.

482
00:24:43,732 --> 00:24:45,984
It's resulted           
      in nearly 40% fewer inmates

483
00:24:46,026 --> 00:24:48,487
and savings            
         of nearly $40 million

484
00:24:48,528 --> 00:24:50,030
from reduced recidivism.

485
00:24:50,071 --> 00:24:52,991
The county even closed      
           one of its jails.

486
00:24:53,033 --> 00:24:56,786
I mean, obviously,         
    it's had some big wins here.

487
00:24:56,828 --> 00:25:00,457
We've been successful       
        with about 70% to 80%

488
00:25:00,499 --> 00:25:02,667
of the people that have      
       come into our program,

489
00:25:02,709 --> 00:25:05,045
but the 20% to 30% left

490
00:25:05,086 --> 00:25:06,880
are really             
        the highest utilizers

491
00:25:06,922 --> 00:25:09,716
of both criminal justice      
     and mental health services.

492
00:25:09,758 --> 00:25:10,967
We had a study conducted

493
00:25:11,009 --> 00:25:13,595
by the University         
     of South Florida in Tampa.

494
00:25:13,637 --> 00:25:16,264
We sent them the names       
           of 3,300 people

495
00:25:16,306 --> 00:25:18,975
who had been arrested and had   
      come through our program.

496
00:25:19,017 --> 00:25:21,770
We said, tell us          
    who the highest utilizers are

497
00:25:21,811 --> 00:25:22,771
in that group.

498
00:25:22,812 --> 00:25:24,314
There's one piece of paper.

499
00:25:24,356 --> 00:25:28,902
And on this one piece of paper   
     are the names of 97 people.

500
00:25:29,402 --> 00:25:34,574
97 people over five years     
       were arrested 2,200 times,

501
00:25:34,616 --> 00:25:38,245
they spent 27,000 days      
        in the Dade County jail,

502
00:25:38,286 --> 00:25:41,164
and it cost taxpayers       
           in today's dollars

503
00:25:41,206 --> 00:25:42,415
$17 million.

504
00:25:42,457 --> 00:25:44,459
-Just 97 people.          
         -[Steve] 97 people.

505
00:25:44,501 --> 00:25:46,503
And every community        
        in the United States

506
00:25:46,545 --> 00:25:47,754
has those 97.

507
00:25:47,796 --> 00:25:49,256
I mean, there's no place      
          for those people

508
00:25:49,297 --> 00:25:50,423
to go right now, right?

509
00:25:50,465 --> 00:25:52,676
Nothing and that's why       
   this building is so important.

510
00:25:52,717 --> 00:25:54,511
[Seb]   Paid for           
        partly with the savings

511
00:25:54,553 --> 00:25:56,012
from keeping people        
              out of jail,

512
00:25:56,054 --> 00:25:57,889
the county now has a solution:

513
00:25:57,931 --> 00:25:59,975
a dedicated,           
        publicly funded facility

514
00:26:00,016 --> 00:26:02,727
for the mentally ill       
      offering a range of services

515
00:26:02,769 --> 00:26:04,437
and more than 200 beds.

516
00:26:04,479 --> 00:26:06,731
[Steve]   So I'm gonna give you   
      a full tour of the building.

517
00:26:06,773 --> 00:26:10,318
It's a one-stop-shop and has   
       all the essential elements

518
00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:11,653
of recovery in one location.

519
00:26:11,695 --> 00:26:13,572
These are nursing         
       and doctors' stations,

520
00:26:13,613 --> 00:26:17,284
and there's medical offices    
      all along here for exams.

521
00:26:17,325 --> 00:26:21,538
We're gonna have a program    
     that teaches self-sufficiency,

522
00:26:21,580 --> 00:26:23,582
and it's run by people       
       with mental illnesses,

523
00:26:23,623 --> 00:26:24,958
and that's gonna be        
            in this room.

524
00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:26,751
[Seb]   The idea is         
            to rehabilitate.

525
00:26:26,793 --> 00:26:28,837
There are classrooms,       
             job training,

526
00:26:28,878 --> 00:26:30,338
even a culinary program.

527
00:26:30,380 --> 00:26:33,133
Services designed to draw     
        people back into society

528
00:26:33,174 --> 00:26:35,885
even if they're not convinced   
         they want to be there.

529
00:26:35,927 --> 00:26:37,887
[Steve]   If they're a high user   
          and they're cycling

530
00:26:37,929 --> 00:26:40,599
through this deep end       
       again and again and again,

531
00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:41,975
they get to stay,         
          and they can stay

532
00:26:42,017 --> 00:26:44,644
if they're either voluntary    
           or involuntary.

533
00:26:44,686 --> 00:26:47,105
The vast majority         
        will be involuntary.

534
00:26:47,147 --> 00:26:49,232
[Seb]   A taxpayer-funded      
            secure facility

535
00:26:49,274 --> 00:26:50,900
where the mentally ill      
              can be sent

536
00:26:50,942 --> 00:26:54,237
to get specialized care      
     with or without their consent.

537
00:26:54,279 --> 00:26:55,447
Sound familiar?

538
00:26:55,488 --> 00:26:56,740
[Steve]              
      Yeah, it's an in-between

539
00:26:56,781 --> 00:26:59,743
of what we have now        
        and what used to be.

540
00:26:59,784 --> 00:27:02,746
What if they don't wanna have   
       that kind of treatment?

541
00:27:02,787 --> 00:27:04,789
Where do you stand         
        on involuntary care?

542
00:27:04,831 --> 00:27:05,915
Yeah.

543
00:27:05,957 --> 00:27:08,710
I think involuntary treatment   
            is necessary.

544
00:27:08,752 --> 00:27:10,795
To me, there's nothing civil    
              or right

545
00:27:10,837 --> 00:27:13,089
about a man or woman        
       living under a dumpster

546
00:27:13,131 --> 00:27:15,175
and eating garbage and thinking

547
00:27:15,216 --> 00:27:17,927
that God is telling them      
          to live that way.

548
00:27:17,969 --> 00:27:21,097
You are condemning them      
          to a life of hell

549
00:27:21,139 --> 00:27:24,309
by not getting them treatment   
              at times.

550
00:27:26,645 --> 00:27:28,313
[Seb]   What would          
          meaningful recovery

551
00:27:28,355 --> 00:27:29,522
look like for your son?

552
00:27:29,564 --> 00:27:32,025
[Eileen]   I think it would take   
       some long-term treatment.

553
00:27:32,067 --> 00:27:34,736
-Involuntary treatment, then?   
          -Yes, definitely.

554
00:27:34,778 --> 00:27:36,821
'Cause he doesn't think      
            he needs it.

555
00:27:36,863 --> 00:27:39,115
I would compare it to someone   
         who's got Alzheimer's

556
00:27:39,157 --> 00:27:40,784
who doesn't know         
         they have Alzheimer's.

557
00:27:40,825 --> 00:27:42,744
Do they let them         
           live by themselves

558
00:27:42,786 --> 00:27:44,245
to set the house on fire?

559
00:27:44,287 --> 00:27:46,331
No, they have someone       
         looking over them.

560
00:27:46,373 --> 00:27:48,750
Well, he needs someone       
        looking over him too.

561
00:27:48,792 --> 00:27:50,168
We just wanna help him.

562
00:27:50,210 --> 00:27:51,878
We wanna give him back       
              his life,

563
00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:53,672
not take his life away.

564
00:27:55,590 --> 00:27:58,593
dramatic music