IPRT believes that responsibility for the provision of healthcare should be transferred from the IPS to the HSE. In addition to this, IPRT believes that those with mental illness should be diverted away from the criminal justice system and should be treated within a community setting, where possible.
This section includes posts on health in prison, including mental health and drug policy.
30th May 2011
The Inspector of Prisons, Judge Michael Reilly, has published 'best practice' guidelines for the physical healthcare that should be available to prisoners in our prisons.
4th January 2011
Writing in the 'Irish Examiner', Noel Baker reports that 1,200 prisoners are now accessing drug counselling in prison, while 34 people are on a waiting list for drug treatment programmes.
20th December 2010
This report by the Health Service Executive represents the first external review of the Methadone Treatment Protocol in Ireland. It seeks to examine the regulatory process and oversight of methadone and opiate dependence treatment.
8th December 2010
There is an acute awareness that within this State the majority of offenders entering custodial institutions suffer from one form of drug addiction or another, yet one of largest prisons in the state, Cork Prison, still lack the capability of providing essential methadone services.
8th December 2010
The current facilities available for accommodating prisoners at risk of self-harm and suicide in Mountjoy Prison would appear to be grossly inadequate, according to a published report by the Inspectors at the Mental Health Commission.
28th October 2010
Camden and Islington NHS mental health trust have formed a partnership with the London Probation Service aiming to reduce the recidivism rates and recall into prison of offenders with high risk personality disorders upon release into the community.
21st September 2010
The Royal College of Nursing has launched a new publication, 'Prison mental health: vision and reality' developed jointly with the Centre for Mental Health and Nacro, the crime reduction charity.
14th September 2010
One in four female prisoners struggle with borderline personality disorder, yet their needs are going unnoticed in the UK justice system, according to a report published by the Centre for Mental Health.
24th August 2010
(England & Wales) A newly published policy document shows that there is a link between mental illness and offending that cannot be ignored; the paper sets forth a nuanced agenda for policy changes that can tackle this underlying cause of crime.
14th July 2010
A new study has investigated deaths following release from prison among individuals recorded on the National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI) from 1998 to 2005. The study highlights the need for more intensive prevention measures in the period immediately following release from Irish prisons, including the development of a national overdose prevention strategy.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.