Some 90% of prisoners in England and Wales suffer from mental health problems and upon release are up to 36 times more likely to kill themselves than the general population, a report has revealed.
The report says that opportunities to divert the mentally ill away from the criminal justice system and towards the health service are frequently missed, while appropriate medical care is rarely available either behind bars or after release.
The report argues that this neglect has led to men recently released from prison being eight times more likely than the general population to commit suicide and women 36 times more likely. It has also led to unacceptably high reoffending rates, with Ministry of Justice figures showing that an estimated 43% of offenders are reconvicted within one year of release from prison and 74% within nine years.
The report, published by the Centre for Mental Health, urges the government to introduce more mental health teams into prisons and to divert more offenders with mental health problems to better care in the community. There should also be more effective rehabilitation and resettlement support after release from prison.
Lucy Scott-Moncrieff, London firm Scott-Moncrieff Harbour & Sinclair mental health law partner said: 'This report makes for very depressing reading: the gleams of good practice only serve to illuminate the wretched position of the majority of people with mental health problems in the criminal justice system.’
Mental Health Lawyers Association chairman Richard Charlton said: ‘The government has made all the right noises since the Bradley Report recommended ways to improve the treatment of mentally ill offenders, but it has still to take the right steps. Mental health remains one of the Cinderella services, undervalued because caring for prisoners wins no votes.’
A Department of Health spokesperson said: ‘This government remains committed to improving health and social care outcomes for all people in contact with the criminal justice system. That's why we are investing £5.1m this year in liaison and diversion services, which intervene at an early stage to identify and assess those with mental health or substance misuse problems and help them into treatment where appropriate.’
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