Centre for Mental Health

Sainsbury Centre welcomes new report on mental health in prisons

4 February 2009

"It is now well-known that imprisoning people with severe mental health problems benefits no one and puts many at risk of getting far worse," Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health chief executive Angela Greatley said today.

Responding to the Prison Reform Trust report Too Little, Too Late, published today, Angela Greatley said: "Prisons will always have large numbers of people with a range of mental health problems. But today we are seeing too many people who could be diverted to better alternatives being imprisoned and returned to their communities without their mental health difficulties being resolved.

"For women and children in particular, a short spell in prison can seriously damage their health, their family ties and their prospects in life while doing nothing to tackle mental health, drug or alcohol problems. This is a disaster not just for them but for their families, their victims and their communities.

"Too Little, Too Late once again draws our attention to the human consequences of imprisoning vulnerable people. We need to respond by improving opportunities for diversion for those who should never go to prison. We need urgently to invest in better mental health care in prison for those who do need to be there. And we must do much more to resettle prisoners by helping them to manage their mental health, to stay in touch with their families and to have somewhere to live and the chance of a job when they are released."