Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 20
20
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 78
Severe shortage of mental health inpatient beds leads to inhumane treatment for prisoners.
Conclusion
It is inappropriate that severely mentally ill prisoners are kept in prison, sometimes in segregation. Despite the best efforts of prison staff this can result in periods of inhumane treatment. We welcome the proposal to introduce statutory time limits for transferring prisoners with acute and severe mental illness to appropriate mental health inpatient beds, but this will not solve the underlying problem which is the shortage of appropriate secure mental health inpatient facilities.
Government Response Summary
The government stated it is currently reviewing the use and impact of the power that allows severely mentally ill individuals to be kept in prison and considering alternative measures to avoid harm to vulnerable defendants, without committing to specific steps to address the shortage of facilities.
Paragraph Reference:
78
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government needs to fully consider all of the impacts of repealing this power in order to ensure its removal would not result in any vulnerable defendants coming to harm. We are therefore currently reviewing the use of the power in order to better understand the full range of areas in which the power is used and merits of alternative measures for those who may be remanded in custody for reasons other than their mental health.