Hurt by Voices
Mental illness is tricky terrain for reporters to cover. The stigmas, misunderstandings and denials make it difficult for reporters to capture an accurate picture of the disease. When the mentally ill subject of a profile is already dead, the obstacles might seem insurmountable. But James M. O'Neill of The Dallas Morning News overcomes them with the powerful "Rosie's Journey," his account of the last days in the life of Rosie Sims. To paint his nuanced portrait of Sims, a schizophrenic mother of three, O'Neill interviewed family members, hospital workers, jail officials and other people she encountered during her last days. He also reviewed medical records, court files and other documents detailing her turbulent life. Through Rosie's story, O'Neill shows us the human cost of living in a state that ranks 49th in per-capita spending on mental illness and a county – Dallas – that warehouses the mentally ill in jail. He also includes valuable information about schizophrenia, a disease that has been diagnosed in 2.4 million Americans.