22 June 2000
Dear Sir
With a very high prevalence of mental health problems, self-harm and suicide among both remand and sentenced prisoners, there is a need for the Government to look more closely at the factors affecting mental health in prisons, rather than reduce the attention given by merging the Prisons Inspectorate with the Probation Inspectorate. (Ref: It's a crime what Straw's doing to our prisons, Tom Utley, Daily Telegraph 21 June 2000)
Research by the Office of National Statistics published in 1998 indicated, for example that 15% of male remand prisoners had attempted suicide in the last year.
The Mental Health Foundation believes that there is an urgent need for work to promote mental health in prisons, to lessen the incidence of attempted suicides, and to recognise that good mental health is an issue for everyone. We believe that we also need better access to mental health services for prisoners - many of whom reported being refused help for mental health problems.
It is ironic that the merger proposals come just as it appeared that the Prisons Inspectorate was beginning to highlight the issue, publishing "Suicide is Everyone's Concern - a thematic review by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England & Wales" in May 1999. The Government must capitalise on the seeds of this work - not disempower the inspectorate responsible.
Yours faithfully
Ruth Lesirge
Director, Mental Health Foundation
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