Mental health
Asia
Mental health
India
Taking into account the plight of a condemned prisoner who became mentally-ill after being kept in the solitary confinement for more than 10 years, the Supreme Court on Friday commuted his sentence to 30 years’ jail term without remission.
Source — The Times of India
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Central America and the Caribbean
Mental health
Haiti
Los decesos más recientes ocurrieron en los primeros dos días de septiembre en la prisión de Jacmel, al sur de Haití, donde se reportó la muerte de cuatro internos. Es muy probable que su muerte se hubiera debido a malnutrición, problemas respiratorios o inanición, según el diario haitiano Le Nouve…
Source — Insight Crime
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Lebanon: using theatre as therapy in prison
Testimonial
Culture
Women
Middle East
Mental health
Activities
Lebanon
Theatre comes to Lebanese prisons. Catharsis is an organisation that offers drama therapy workshops in prisons. Its director Zeina Daccache produced documentaries about three such projects that took place in prisons.
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France: everyday madness
Testimonial
Liban : Les prisonniers de Roumieh s'automutilent pour alerter sur la détérioration de leur situation
News
Middle East
Health
Mental health
Material conditions
Lebanon
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French
Middle East
Health
Mental health
Afghanistan
More than 1,200 drug addicts are being treated at a state prison in the western province of Herat, local officials said. The drug users are being treated by governmental institutions in cooperation with private sector companies. The drug users said they were grateful about their treatment.
“I am v…
Source — Tolo News
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Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
United Kingdom
England and Wales are two constituent countries of the United Kingdom. While their health, justice and prison policies fall under common legislation, their prison health services differ.
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Switzerland: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Switzerland
In Switzerland, people declared not criminally responsible are subject to therapeutic measures. In 2018, there were nearly 960 people subject to therapeutic measures. Nearly 60% of people subject to in-patient treatment are placed in prison.
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Spain: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Spain
There are 17 autonomous communities in Spain. Criminal legislation applies to the entire country. The Catalonia region is responsible for managing its own prisons. Thus, two different government administrations oversee the penitentiary system.
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Netherlands: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Netherlands
Both in its European and overseas territories, care in prisons is administered by the Ministry of Justice. Around 60% of prisoners present with at least one mental disorder. Prisoners suffering from severe disorders have to be placed in Extra Care Facilities (Extra Zorgvoorziening, EZV) present in…
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Italy: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Italy
The Ministry of Justice oversees the prison system. The organisation of health care in prisons has been the responsibility of the National Health System (Servizio sanitario nazionale, SNS) since 2008. There are many prisoners with mental health problems.
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Belgium: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Belgium
Belgium is a federal state. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for prison administration and prison healthcare. People suffering from mental illness who commit a crime are subject to a psychiatric assessment.
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Germany: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Germany
Germany is a federal republic divided into 16 Länder. The Ministry of Justice oversees prison health care. Federal law does not provide for any mental health care in prison. The Länder implement treatment measures. Significant variations have been observed from one territory and facility to another…
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France: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
France
France has 187 prisons. Since 1994, prison health care falls under the authority of the Ministry of Health. Prison mental healthcare was the subject of a major reform in 2002.
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Walling up madness
Analysis
Comparative study
Europe
Access to legal rights
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Suicide
More than 40 % of prisoners in Italy suffer from at least one mental disorder, about 30% in Spain, 35% in England, and 60% in the Netherlands. Does prison make you go mad? This is no doubt true for some. Prison Insider provides an overview of practices in eight countries.
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Sunny Jacobs: Life Beyond
Testimonial
North America
Mental health
Death penalty
Religion
United States
How can you escape prison with your mind? Sunny Jacobs was sentenced to death and spent seventeen years in detention for a crime she did not commit. She tells Prison Insider how yoga, meditation and prayer helped her find freedom behind prison walls.
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Sunny Jacobs: Life Inside
Testimonial
North America
Mental health
Material conditions
Death penalty
Activities
United States
What is daily life on death row like? Sunny Jacobs was sentenced to death and spent seventeen years in detention for a crime she did not commit. She tells Prison Insider about her detention conditions and the burden of complete isolation.
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Belgium: prison within prison
Interview
Europe
Discipline
Mental health
Material conditions
Belgium
When can someone be sent to solitary confinement? A new report strongly criticises the use of solitary confinement and the conditions of detention observed there. Interview.
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Europe
Access to legal rights
Justice
Health
Mental health
Switzerland
Psychiatric expertise has grown in the last few years, especially in assessing recidivism risk. Can risk really be predicted? Interview.
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Europe
Health
Mental health
Suicide
France
Fresnes, Fleury-Mérogis, la Santé: for 25 years, Cyrille Canetti witnessed the shift of prison psychiatry. (Critical) interview about psychiatry and prison.
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Coronavirus
Pre-trial detention
Minors
Mental health
Material conditions
Overcrowding
France
The Controller-General for Places of Deprivation of Liberty feels ‘useful everywhere’. One year after taking office, Dominique Simonnot responds to our questions in a candid interview.
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Years in the Row
Analysis
Comparative study
Africa
Women
Asia
Minors
Europe
Foreign prisoners
Discipline
Health
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Overcrowding
Death penalty
Torture
Some people fear death every morning. Others are sentenced to death in countries that no longer carry out executions. At least 483 executions were documented in 2020. Prison Insider publishes an overview of practices in nine countries that have not abolished the death penalty.
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United States: inadequate mental health treatment
Analysis
Opinion
North America
Mental health
Material conditions
Suicide
United States
Dr. Tasnova Malek works in the National Suicidal Prevention Center and as a medical reviewer for Sunshine Behavioral Health. Here she discusses the prevalence of mental illness among prisoners and highlights the inability of prison facilities to meet their needs. Read Dr. Malek’s insights.
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