Amazon.com (ISBN 0471245321, Paperback)

E. Fuller Torrey excoriates the way the mentally ill are treated in this country. His polemic against the concept of "deinstitutionalization" takes us on a grim tour of the lives led by the mentally ill: untreated, homeless, jobless, and helpless against street violence. Torrey argues that the criteria for involuntary commitment should include the need for treatment.

Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 0471161616, Hardcover)

A powerful indictment of how we treat people suffering from acute mental disease.––The New York Times Book Review.

An important book...Timely and very well-written.––San Francisco Chronicle

Now in paper! Our mental health system has dismally failed to serve the growing number of people suffering from serious psychiatric disturbance—with far-reaching implications for community safety, family health, and the well-being of the mentally ill themselves. This compellingly argued and compassionate book by one of the nation's leading experts describes how this happened and exactly what we can do about it.

These compelling examples illustrate just a small part of the mental illness crisis in America. Out of the Shadows explores the causes of the crisis and the tragic toll it is having on individuals, families, and communities across the country. This hard-hitting book also offers E. Fuller Torrey's recommendations to fix the problem. Basing his ideas on actual programs, Torrey offers policy that blends compassion and assistance for this neglected segment of society.

A timely and controversial look at a part of the health care system receiving intense scrutiny. Reform ideas include legalizing involuntary commitment, shifting the responsibility to states, and depoliticizing mental illness.