The new Government’s commitment to reform our prison system must go hand-in-hand with improvements to mental health support inside and outside the criminal justice system, Centre for Mental Health chief executive Andy Bell said today.
Welcoming the appointment of James Timpson as minister of state for prisons, parole and probation, and the Prime Minister’s acknowledgement of the need for long-term action to reduce the prison population in England and Wales, Andy Bell said: “Nine out of ten prisoners in England have at least one mental health difficulty. Most have a complex mix of health and social problems. And one prisoner in every seven in England is in contact with a mental health team.
“Prison reform is long overdue. Too many prisons are overcrowded and unsafe. Self-harm and suicide rates are unacceptably high. And too many people leave prison with inadequate help for their mental health.
“The last Labour Government initiated the national expansion of Liaison and Diversion services, to identify people in police stations and courts with mental health or learning difficulties. These need to fulfil their potential, backed up with sufficient resources and diversion options.
“Justice reform must mean repealing the 1976 Bail Act that allows courts to imprison someone for their own safety or health. This is outdated and harmful. It must mean ending once and for all the legacy of Imprisonment for Public Protection that leaves hundreds of people in prison or under threat of imprisonment more than a decade after their offence. And it must mean comprehensive reform of the Mental Health Act, including a 28-day limit on transfers from prison to a hospital bed. Too many people wait too long for urgent treatment in a system that is antiquated and unfair.
“Almost ten years ago, the Prime Minister spoke at our event about the urgency of systemic reform of our criminal justice system so that victims, witnesses, defendants and offenders alike were treated fairly throughout.
“We are calling on the new Government to make a new start for mental health in this country. This must cover every government department and all aspects of our national life. And given the urgency of the situation in prisons today, the justice system is a crucial place for that action to begin now.”
