International research in Europe on mental health and prisons has
produced very similar results.8 Approximately 4% of male and female
prisoners have psychotic illnesses, and 10% of men and 12% of women
have major depression. Forty-two percent of women and 65% of men
have a personality disorder. No fewer than 89% of all prisoners have
depressive symptoms and 74% have stress-related somatic symptoms.
Approximately 6–12% of prisoners should actually be transferred
out of prisons to specialist psychiatric facilities, and 30–50%
require some assistance from mental healthcare services.
It is likely that diversion approaches will gradually become
more effective and that specialist psychiatric in-reach services will
become more widely available to prisons in all countries. However,
it is clear that radical change and considerable development will be
essential if the current unsatisfactory position is to be rectified.