Criminal justice system fails men with mental illness

THE mental health services and the criminal justice system are “failing young men with severe mental illnesses,” according to research.

The study found that people with psychoses are disproportionately over-represented within the remand prison population. Not only that, but their condition is getting worse while in prison, it finds.

The research – carried out by a team of psychiatrists from the Central Mental Hospital – found that almost 4% of those committed to prison – 372 people – needed to be transferred to a psychiatric hospital.