Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness

Earley returns to the jail and observes Freddie Gilbert, the first inmate he decides to follow, whose mental illness is so severe and his communication so limited that he is housed on the ninth floor for his own protection. Gilbert will only respond to the demands of the correctional officers if he is offered food. Dr. Poitier expresses frustration that Gilbert is being held in jail when he requires better treatment than what he can receive while incarcerated.

Ted Jackson, an inmate suffering from bipolar disorder who is also housed on the ninth floor, becomes the second inmate Earley will shadow. While being interviewed, Jackson goes on a rambling diatribe about fossil fuels, President Bush, dancing, and more. He believes God has sent him a message that Jesus will return in 2007. When Earley retrieves Jackson’s arrest report, he learns that Jackson was arrested for spray painting “Jesus 2007” around Miami.

The next day, Jackson is transferred to Bayview Center for Mental Health, where Earley visits him. Jackson informs him that he never received antipsychotic medication while in jail. He begins to tell Earley his life story about growing up in Ohio, his run-ins with police, and people who have taken advantage of him.