Locked up, locked out – inadequate stats on mental health are failing prisoners

The last reliable data on prevalence of offender mental health problems is from 1998, when the prison population was about half what it is today

Prisoners are among the most vulnerable people with mental health problems, yet the government does not collect even basic information on how many inmates have a mental illness, or the total number in need of treatment. This means, according to campaigners, that they are being repeatedly let down by the system.

A National Audit Office (NAO) report highlighted the stark lack of data, triggering serious questions about the government’s commitment to prisoners’ mental healthcare.

Related: Signs of hope in the prison mental health crisis

Related: Tackling suicide in prisons requires more cash and care | Mary O’Hara

Continue reading... October 11, 2017 at 03:00PM