Centre for Mental Health

Titan prison plans must consider mental health of prisoners

5 June 2008

The Government must give serious consideration to the mental health of prisoners before pushing ahead with plans build three new 'titan' prisons, Sainsbury Centre prisons and criminal justice director Sean Duggan said today.

Responding to a Ministry of Justice consultation document on plans for titan prisons, Sean Duggan said: "We are disappointed that the mental health of prisoners is barely discussed in this document. Nine out of ten prisoners have at least one mental health problem while one in 12 has a severe mental illness. Mental health should be at the forefront of the Government's plans for the future of our prisons, not an afterthought.

"If the Government does go ahead and build three new 2,500-capacity prisons, it must ensure the health care they provide is of the highest standard. They will need the full range of mental health services, from primary care for depression and anxiety to fully-staffed specialist teams for those with more severe illnesses and proper support for those with drug and alcohol problems.

"As the Chief Inspector of Prisons has said, it is vital that constructing new prisons does not distract us from the more important tasks of reducing the number of people with mental health problems who go to prison in England and Wales and of improving the provision of mental health care to existing establishments. These require urgent and concerted action across the country."