Mentally-ill prisoners denied rights

In addition to four suicides in Irish prisons in 2002, there were 93 parasuicides, which are classified as non-fatal acts deliberately undertaken

So far this year, there has been one suicide and 37 parasuicides.

The Irish Penal Reform Trust is very critical of the minister for justice and the prison system, accusing them of breaking international human rights protocols for dealing with prisoners, especially mentally-ill prisoners.

The main complaints revolve around the use of isolation cells, padded cells and observation cells.

Until recently, prisoners showing signs of being suicidal or of mental disturbance were detained in padded cells on their own, which was contrary to an international protocol on the treatment of such prisoners.

The minister, therefore, changed the system by introducing “observation cells,” in which prisoners thought to be a risk are put into cells on their own and checked about every 15 minutes by a prison staff.

The Prison Officers Association can justifiably claim that its members are “hugely successful in catching people and preventing suicide,” but in reality, the Department of Justice and the prison service are just trying to cope with a symptom while doing nothing about the actual problems. They are just looking on.

The Penal Reform Trust and Amnesty International point out that locking up prisoners on their own is not the way to deal with suicidal individuals. They should have somebody in the cell to help or even talk to them, preferably somebody with proper training.

Up to 78% of prisoners who are held in solitary confinement are suffering from some form of mental illness. They are in need of psychiatric help. It is a scandal that observation cells are being used merely as a substitute for appropriate medical or paramedical services. It is also a denial of the human rights of prisoners.

Last June, this newspaper published details from a leaked report commissioned by the Department of Justice that found that 28.8% of all prisoners had an IQ of 70 or under, and should thus be categorised officially as mentally handicapped.

This was more than three times the comparative figure for American jails.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell was unaware of the details of the report, but he expressed amazement that the Irish system of justice was less sensitive on this issue than the American one, about which there had been so many complaints in the United States.

It wasn’t just that we were as bad as the Americans, we were actually more than three times worse.

The minister promised to address the problem, but very little has been done.

This is an instance we could learn from the United States, where they have set up special courts for the mentally ill.

The judges involved have special training in mental health in order to be in a position to request the necessary assessment of the mental state of an accused person. This provides an opportunity to secure proper treatment as an alternative to jail.

As a result, there is less recidivism, a reduction in crime, a reduction in the number of people in prison and a saving to the state.