Patients or Prisoners: Implications of Overlooking Mental Health Needs of Female Offenders
| Author | Samantha Mason, Jon Parry, Sabina Enback, Adela Sobrepera |
| Pages | 77-91 |
77
British Journal of Community Justice
©2019 Manchester Metropolitan University
ISSN 1475-0279
Vol. 15(1) 77–91
PATIENTS OR PRISONERS: IMPLICATIONS OF
OVERLOOKING MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF FEMALE
OFFENDERS
Samantha Mason, Researcher, University of Leeds, Jon Parry, Head of Research, Skills for
Justice, Sabina Enback, Senior Researcher, Skills for Justice, and Adela Sobrepera,
Researcher, Skills for Justice
Abstract
Since the publication of the Corston report in 2007, there has been little implementation of
the recommendations for helping women in prison with mental health needs, despite
research providing a better understanding of mental health requirements and a recently
developed Female Offender Strategy (Mini stry of Justice, 2018a). Evidence has also been
brought to light in terms of offender pathways and the complex interplay between
offending, mental health and other factors. Therefore, a fresh understanding of mental
health among female prisoners is required, as prevalence and need in relation to this cohort
is likely to have changed in the intervening years. The sh ort prison sentences that many
women are serving can be counterproductive in reducing recidivism and often exacerbate
the circumstances that result in many women reoffending. To date, the recommendation
of replacing women’s prisons with smaller custodial centres has only been impl emented at
one establishment; the refore, its impact cannot be fully determined. Evidence supporting
existing interventions, including the recent liaison and diversion programme, is inconclusive
due to a lack of research and inconsistent programme implementation. Therefore, a review
of th e Corston report (2007) and a re-evaluation of the mental health needs of women
prisoners is required to support the development of a much-needed ‘new’ model of
rehabilitation.
Keywords
Mental health; women in prison; offending; rehabilitating offenders
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