Prison last resort for mentally disordered

DUE to the increasing number of vulnerable and mentally disturbed people being committed to prison, some relatives have suggested ‘it would be beneficial if more spaces were made available by way of prison in-service clinics to treat such prisoners.’

Prison is used as a place of last resort by the courts for some mentally disordered people.

Successive governments have taken the view that if a prisoner is psychiatrically assessed as in need of psychiatric treatment, that treatment ought to be provided in a psychiatric hospital.

That policy conforms generally to policies in other European jurisdictions.

Prisoners and their relatives have a number of options to make requests or complaints. They have access to staff, the governor, the visiting committee, the Department of Justice and the courts. Prisoners may also write to the European commission of Human Rights and/or the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman and Degrading Treatment.

Noel Collins

St Jude’s

Midleton

Co Cork