The Mental Health Crisis in UK Prisons

It is no surprise that there is a mental health crisis within prison populations. Levels of self-harm have increased significantly over the last 13 years, rising from 278 to 777 per 1000 prisoners [1]. This is likely to be due to overcrowding, cuts in government spending and a lack of mental health resources.

There has been a failure to address the increase in self-harm and suicide rates, with only 31% of prisoner complaints being completed in 2019-2020 [2]. The needs of the prisoners are not being met and the conditions that they live in are not beneficial for an individual with a mental illness. It is difficult to see how such little amounts of sunlight, physical activity and interaction per day, can aid rehabilitation. This isolation can lead to boredom and more serious issues since there is a surplus of time alone in cells, doing nothing.

COVID-19 has meant that prisoners are spending increasing amounts of time locked up in their cells. This can be up to 23-24 hours a day which are levels equal to solitary confinement. The pandemic has also led to prisoners only exercising for only 30 minutes a day and sometimes just every other day. Additionally, rehabilitation programmes have been paused, meaning that inmates may have extended sentences if they haven’t completed the necessary requirements. This is harmful on many fronts as these are all obvious ways to try and improve mental health.

The evidence is clear that prison environment is an inhumane setting. In general, it leaves individuals without a sense of purpose in society and their identity is taken away from them, which may have a negative impact on self-identity and self-worth. Moreover, prisoners no longer have support from family and friends, or people to lean on and trust, which will not be beneficial if they need help as they may not be willing to speak to others.

COVID-19 has had a further negative impact on the prison population. Having all been faced with national lockdowns and restrictions, we have all had a fraction of an insight into the reality of prisons, by being trapped inside our homes with little freedom.

It is easy to forget the needs of those removed from society, but they do not have the same access to healthcare and support as we do, so vital work needs to be done to tackle the growing crisis. There needs to be direct interventions from the prisons themselves to improve the mental health resources available to prisoners and ensure that the conditions they live in are beneficial.

References

[1] https://data.justice.gov.uk/prisons/safety-and-order/self-harm-rate

[2] PPO Annual Report 2019/20