Mental health in prisons is a crisis and opportunity

The report

The joint briefing is a name to discover how the Authorities might use public funds in a different way. To research how the justice system might work for victims, communities, individuals who have dedicated offences, and households alike with a greater understanding of psychological well being. To make sure investments and choices made now make communities safer and folks more healthy in the long run.

On this briefing, the 2 organisations have a look at the present proof in regards to the psychological well being of individuals in jail and the choices obtainable to authorities to handle individuals’s wants extra successfully.

They discover the results of poor psychological well being in prisons, the methods through which well being and justice providers are working arduous to handle them, and a few of the challenges this poses.

The briefing explores the affect of imprisonment on individuals’s households, together with how households can typically be a part of the answer. 

Lastly, it appears to be like at methods to alleviate strain on the jail system, for instance by diverting some individuals from jail to group the place that’s secure and efficient.

Within the mild of the Sentencing Overview and reforms to the Psychological Well being Act in progress, the charities argue that the time is true to reimagine and rebuild a justice system that works for the widespread good of all – for victims, communities, individuals who endure psychological sick well being, and the devoted individuals who work in our struggling justice system.

Key findings

9 out of ten individuals in jail have not less than one psychological well being, neurodevelopmentalor substance use downside, and charges of extreme psychological sickness are ten instances these in thegeneral inhabitants.Charges of self-harm in prisons are excessive and rising, with the best charges in ladies’sprisons.Jail psychological well being providers at the moment assist one particular person in seven within the prisonpopulation. They supply important care and assist however are sometimes overstretched becauseof excessive ranges of want and complexity.Involving members of the family in offering psychological well being assist in prisons can bebeneficial however is commonly restricted. The experiences makes a name to develop the position of households and carers in supporting jail and well being care employees to look after mentally unwell sufferers, saying that aligns with the Psychological Well being Invoice’s aspiration to strengthen the rights of households.Transfers from jail to hospital for pressing remedy are nonetheless too typically delayed,typically by weeks and months. The report urges the Authorities to take away blockages within the system that at the moment hamper prisons’ capacity to switch sufferers to hospital for pressing remedy. It argues that enhancing step-down providers for individuals who now not have to be in hospital would assist to unencumber capability and guarantee severely unwell individuals get the care they want.Neighborhood sentences with psychological well being remedy can divert some individuals fromcustody. This reduces strain on prisons and enhances their probabilities of successfulrehabilitation; nonetheless MHTRs proceed to be underused.

Because of Andy Aitchison for variety permission to make use of the header picture on this submit. You’ll be able to see Andy’s work right here.