Mental health care and the criminal justice system

Briefing Paper 39

The quality of mental health care available in our prisons is frequently poor.

This briefing paper provides an overview of the mental health care available in prisons. It examines how mental health problems are identified in prison, how prison inreach teams work, transfers to NHS care, alternatives to prison, and what care is available to prisoners after their release.

Note: This updates and replaces Briefing 32 - Mental Health Care in Prisons, published on 25 June 2007.