The Community Order and the Mental Health Treatment Requirement

Abstract

Just a few months into 2008, a convergence of unfortunate circumstances has brought the plight of offenders with mental health problems into sharp focus. Figures released by the Ministry of Justice showed there were 92 apparently self-inflicted deaths among prisoners in England and Wales in 2007, compared with 67 in 2006. This 37% increase in suicides in prison has been associated with the overcrowding that has continued inexorably. This article discusses the application of mental health services to offenders in the prison and the community contexts.