Mental Health & the Criminal Justice System

At 3 Generations we have been documenting stories about the inequalities of the criminal justice system for a number of years. In recent years our focus has been on the relationship of mental illness to incarceration, shown in our feature documentary Any Given Day. Produced in association with Beti Films and directed by Margaret Byrne, this documentary is now available to rent and purchase on AppleTV & iTunes. 

As we celebrate our 15th Anniversary this year, we will deepen our focus on Intergenerational Activism. One way we are amplifying voices across generations is by bringing to light the growing number of young people burdened by mental illnesses. In particular, LGBT youth are particularly at risk of suicide ideation and attempts. 

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 10 to 24— and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth are at significantly increased risk. LGBTQ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers. The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ youth (13-24) seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S. — and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds. 

Additionally, the burdens of incarceration and an unjust criminal justice system take a toll on youth, especially those with preexisting mental health issues. 

If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling or messaging 988. You can stay up to date on how 3G amplifies the voices of those struggling with their mental health and incarceration on our website or by connecting with us on social media.

At 3 Generations we have been documenting stories about the inequalities of the criminal justice system for a number of years. We recently co-produced a documentary with Beti Films, Any Given Day. The film exposes the challenges and injustices of treating mental health issues through the criminal justice system. 

A recent article by Scientific American, Dementia in Prison Is Turning into an Epidemic, brings awareness to the growing elderly prison population and the increase in mental health issues. The Pew Charitable Trusts did a survey and found “that the number of inmates age 55 or older increased by 280 percent from 1999 to 2016.” (Scientific American). More often than not, these aging prisoners are individuals who have had limited access to health care, a poor diet, potential trauma and may have battled with drug or alcohol addiction. All of these factors lead to an increased risk in mental health and dementia as they age. 

Mental health within the criminal justice system is an issue that continues to loom larger as a result of the ‘tough on crime’ generation who are now facing life sentences without parole. The message of Any Given Day is more relevant now than ever before.

3 Generations has a long history of documenting stories about the horrors of our criminal justice system. Alongside Beti Films, we recently co-produced Any Given Day, an award-winning feature documentary about the challenges and injustices of treating mental health issues through the criminal justice system. 

Since its US Premiere in October, Any Given Day has been featured in a number of film festivals across the country. Most recently, it was an official selection at the Berlin International Film Festival and at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in February. 

We are proud to share that Any Given Day will be making its television premiere on July 7. America ReFramed is proud to share the film as part of its BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month. The film will air on the WORLD Channel on July 7th at 8 PM EST and will be available on streaming on any PBS platform. You can learn more about it here. 

To learn more about this film and our other work please visit us at 3generations.org.

3 Generations has a long history of documenting stories about the inequalities of criminal justice and the need for reform. Alongside Beti Films, we recently co-produced Any Given Day, an award-winning feature documentary about the challenges and injustices of treating mental health issues through the criminal justice system. 

Since its US Premiere in October, Any Given Day has been featured in a number of film festivals across the country and has won some awards. It was the winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Mystic Film Festival and was an official selection at the Portland Film Festival in October. It was at the St. Louis International Film Festival in November and Austin’s Capital City Black Film Festival in December, where it won the Amplify Award.

More recently, it was an official selection at the Berlin International Film Festival and at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in February. There was also a special screening and panel discussion at Chicago Filmmakers, a not-for-profit media arts organization. 

We are proud that the film has been received well and has won so many awards. We will continue to keep you posted on any future screenings and other news.

To learn more about this film or any of our other work please visit us at 3generations.org.

3 Generations has been documenting stories about the inequalities of the criminal justice system for a number of years. We recently co-produced a documentary with Beti Films, Any Given Day. The film exposes the challenges and injustices of treating mental health issues through the criminal justice system. We have some exciting news to share about the film.

Any Given Day had it’s US Premiere at the 57th Chicago International Film Festival this past October. In addition to it’s US Premiere, the film was also part of the International Documentary Competition and the Festival's City and State Program. 

We are happy to share that Any Given Day is the winner of the prestigious Chicago Award, an honor presented to an outstanding film in the Festival’s City and State Program. The jurors shared the following commendation:

“Any Given Day is a powerful and genuine portrait of what life is like living with mental illness… Crafted with love, respect, bravery, and deep empathy, the film not only destigmatizes mental illness but also contemplates a better way to support those in need.”

The film will also be showing at the St. Louis International Film Festival in November.

You can watch the trailer and get more information about Any Given Day here.

To learn more about all of our work go to 3generations.org.