Time to act on behalf of mentally disordered offenders

doi:10.1136/bmj.39237.692975.94

BMJ 2007;334:1222 (9 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.39237.692975.94

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Time to act on behalf of mentally disordered offenders

Becky Sales, lead GP, Nigel McKenzie, consultant psychiatrist

HM Prison Pentonville, London

Correspondence to: B Sales becky.sales@hmps.gsi.gov.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Over the past six months the British media—general andmedical—have increasingly focused on two apparently unlinkedissues relating to offenders and the criminal justice system.The first issue is the current overcrowding crisis in prisons,as the number of prisoners exceeds capacity (80 000 in Englandand Wales). The second is the new Mental Health Bill and thedebate surrounding it as it passes through parliament. In termsof criminal justice this debate has largely centred on the balanceto be struck between the human rights of mentally disorderedoffenders and protection of the public. What is striking isthe focus on patients with potentially untreatable disorders(such as personality disorders) rather than any debate concerning—oreven with reference to—the human rights of those withtreatable disorders, such as people with acute psychosis.

Each year in England between 5% and 8% of all patients (or1300 to 2000 patients) detained . . . [Full text of this article]

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