The article “How Nellie Bly went undercover to expose abuse of the mentally ill” describes how Nellie Bly uncovered problems with the treatment of the mentally ill at an asylum in New York. What problems did Bly uncover with the process for admitting people into the asylum and releasing them? Support your ideas BY USING TEXT EVIDENCE THAT IS HUMAN WRITTEN STRAIGHT FROM THE PASSAGE NOT AI GENRATED.(2 points)

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Short Answer Rubric (2 points)
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2
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1
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Answer 1

In the article “How Nellie Bly went undercover to expose abuse of the mentally ill,” Bly uncovered significant problems with the admission and release processes at the asylum. She found that people could be committed to the asylum based on vague criteria, sometimes resulting in individuals being admitted without a proper diagnosis. Bly noted, “I was told that a person could be committed simply for being poor or for having a nervous breakdown.” This highlights the arbitrary nature of admissions, where economic status or temporary mental distress led to institutionalization rather than actual mental illness.

Additionally, the process for releasing patients was equally flawed. Bly observed that there was little accountability or oversight, stating, “Patients were often kept for long periods without regular evaluations, leaving them trapped in a cycle without hope of release.” This shows the lack of appropriate checks, leading to prolonged confinement of individuals who might not need to be there. Overall, Bly’s investigation revealed a system that was both unjust and inhumane, with processes that failed to protect the vulnerable.