Mental health care must improve to halt the
staggering number of suicides occurring in prisons, new research
has revealed.
In 2008, there were 91 suicides per 100,000
per year in England and Wales in the prison population, compared
with 8.5 per 100,000 in the general population. Now a new three
year study has found that a large proportion of those entering
prison are already ‘vulnerable’ with self harm, alcohol misuse and
psychiatric issues.
The National Case-Control Study of
Self-inflicted Death in Prisons in England and Wales collected data
based on 220 prisoner records and feedback from prison and
healthcare staff.
Men accounted for 95 per cent of the deaths,
the research conducted by Professor Jenny Shaw, at Northwest
Forensic Academic Network and The University of Manchester and
colleagues found. Professor Shaw presented the research findings
today at the Annual Meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
in Liverpool.
Hanging was chosen as the method of death by
90%. Alarmingly, over a third (35% ) of deaths happened within the
first month in prison and departed prisoners were three times more
likely to have had no visits during the prison term.
They were also six times more likely to have a
history of self-harm and twice as likely to have a history of
alcohol misuse problems.
The findings have prompted calls for
multi-agency working between prison officers, doctors and mental
health professionals. According to Professor Shaw ‘imported
vulnerability’ where prisoners enter the system with psychiatric
diagnosis, self harm history, alcohol misuse problems and mental
health contact is ‘very common’ in the general prison
population.
“To reduce the risk we need to improve the
general mental health care of all prisoners,” Professor Shaw said.
“We need to include the kinds of methods we have in the community
but adapted for prisons. Because of the nature of the place you
have to adjust what you do and address the fact they are locked up
for most of the day and are in a custodial regime. We need models
that work for the socially excluded people at a primary care level,
including prison officers in training.”
Professor Shaw also urged better exchange of
information between the prison service and outside agencies and
called for an improvement in the assessment and monitoring
procedures for those at risk. Extra care should also be provided at
time of key risk, Professor Shaw said.
For further information, please
contact:
Liz Leicester
or Deborah Hart in the Communications
Department.
Telephone: 020 7235 2351 Extensions. 6298 or 6127
References:
Annual Meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, BT Convention Centre, Liverpool, 2 -5 June 2009
Note to editors:
The report, headed by Jenny Shaw, was compiled by the Research & Collaborative Team: Naomi Humber, University of Manchester; Professor Louis Appleby, University of Manchester; Dr Mary Piper, offender health, Department of Health; Jenny Rees, Safer Custody and Offender Policy, Ministry of Justice