In many countries, people with mental health problems who have not committed a crime or committed a minor offence are sent to prison, rather than given appropriate care. At least 10-15% of prisoners in Europe have a significant mental illness, according to the World Health Organisation. Prison populations have a disproportionately high rate of people suffering from mental health or behavioural problems, many pre-dating prison and others developing or worsening when inside due to poor conditions and lack of mental healthcare. Prison can be an opportunity to help inmates address dependency and this can lead to significant reductions on risk for recidivism. Drug dependency in prisons is also widespread, with regular drug use or dependence prior to imprisonment ranges between 16% and 79% in the EU according to the WHO. Many institutions have unacceptable hygienic conditions. Closely connected to health care are improvements in hygienic conditions. Overcrowding is an obvious cause of and contributing factor in many of the health issues in prisons, particularly infectious diseases and mental health issues. International law recognises the right of everyone, including prisoners, to have access to healthcare services.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |