Page 120 - Human Rights

Faculty of Nursing
Adult care Nursing Department

Similarly, a 1997 study by the UK Office for National Statistics found that 39% of sentenced men

and 62% of sentenced women suffered from mental health problems such as anxiety, depression,

and phobias.

These figures contrast sharply with the general population, where only 12% of men and 18% of
women were found to experience significant neurotic symptoms.

These statistics indicate that prisons have effectively become major providers of mental health

care, despite being poorly equipped for this role.

The lack of adequate mental health services in many prison systems raises serious human rights

concerns and places healthcare professionals under significant ethical and professional pressure.

Recognizing these challenges, a conference organized in 2004 by the UK Prison Reform Trust

emphasized the need for alternatives to incarceration for mentally disordered offenders.

Proposed measures included early intervention programs to identify and treat mental illness
before individuals enter the criminal justice system, the development of accessible and

appropriate mental health care facilities, and court diversion schemes for offenders who are

suicidal or acutely mentally ill. Such diversion programs aim to redirect individuals from prisons to
healthcare settings where treatment, rather than punishment, is the primary focus.

The conference also recommended that courts make greater use of non-custodial sentences for

minor offenders with mental health conditions and that prison services be required to meet

national healthcare standards equivalent to those available in the wider community.

Furthermore, it was suggested that an independent monitoring body be established to oversee

prison health services, ensure accountability, and protect the rights of prisoners.

In prisons characterized by particularly harsh conditions or regimes designed to break the will of

prisoners, healthcare staff—especially nurses—may face profound ethical dilemmas.

109 Academic Year 2025/2026