Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T09:19:26.972Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Psychiatric morbidity among women prisoners newly committed and amongst remanded and sentenced women in the Irish prison system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Brenda Wright ,
Dearbhia Duffy ,
Katherine Curtin ,
Sally Linehan ,
Stephen Monks  and
Harry G Kennedy
Brenda Wright
Affiliation:
National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland
Dearbhia Duffy
Affiliation:
National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland
Katherine Curtin
Affiliation:
National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland
Sally Linehan
Affiliation:
National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland
Stephen Monks
Affiliation:
National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland
Harry G Kennedy
Affiliation:
National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity, substance misuse problems and related health and social problems among women prisoners newly committed and a cross-section remanded and sentenced in the Irish prison population. In 2002 women represented 10.7% (1043) of all persons committed to the Irish Prison system, and 3.3% (104) of the daily average number of persons in custody. We surveyed psychiatric morbidity in these two groups to assess the need for psychiatric services for women prisoners, and to compare Irish morbidity with an international average.

Method: We interviewed 94 newly committed women prisoners within 72 hours of committal, representing approximately 9% of female committals per year. We also interviewed a cross sectional sample of 92 women, representing approximately 90% of all women in custody. Mental illness and substance misuse was measured using the SADS-L, SODQ and a structured interview.

Results: Five (5.4%) of the committal and 5 (5.4%) of the cross-sectional sample had a psychotic illness within the previous six months. 8 (8.5%) of the committals and 15 (16.3%) of the women in the cross-sectional sample had a major depressive disorder in the last six months. 8 (8.6%) committals and 14 (15.2%) in the cross-sectional sample had an anxiety disorder within the last six months. 61 (65.6%) of the women interviewed at committal and 61 (65.2%) of the cross-sectional sample had a substance misuse problem in the last six months.

Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of mental illness and substance misuse problems amongst women newly committed to prison and in a cross section of those remanded or sentenced in prison in Ireland. We found evidence of a cycle of deprivation and institutionalisation. These findings highlight the need for the integration of community and forensic psychiatric services, and for ongoing collaboration with drug services.

Keywords

Psychiatric morbiditywomen prisonersIrish prison system.
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 23 , Issue 2 , June 2006 , pp. 47 - 53
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Parsons, S, Walker, L, Grubin, D. Prevalence of mental disorder in female remand prisoners. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry 2001. 12; 194–202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Fazel, S, Danesh, J. Serious mental disorder in 23,000 prisoners: a systematic review of 62 surveys. Lancet 2002; 359: 545–50CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Mohan, D, Scully, P, Collins, C, Smith, C. Psychiatric Disorder in an Irish female prison. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 7, 229–235 1997.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Allwright, S, Bradley, F, Long, J, Barry, J, Thornton, L, Parry, JV. Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV and risk factors in Irish prisoners: results of a national cross sectional survey. BMJ 2000; 321: 78–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Long, J, Allwright, S, Barry, Jet al.BMJ 2001; 323:1209. Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV and risk factors in entrants to Irish prisons: a national cross sectional survey.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Linehan, S, Duffy, DM, Wright, B, Curtin, K, Monks, S, Kennedy, HG. Psychiatric morbidity in a cross-sectional sample of male remanded prisoners (42% of remanded men in Irish prisons). Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 2005; 22:128–132CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Duffy, DM, Linehan, SA, Kennedy, HG. Psychiatric Morbidity in the male sentenced Irish Prisons Population (submitted)Google Scholar
8.Birmingham, L, Mason, D, Grubin, D. 1996. Prevalence of mental disorder in remand prisoners: consecutive case study. British Medical Journal 313, 1521–1524.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Irish Prison Service Report, 2002. The Stationery Office, Dublin.Google Scholar
10.Endicott, J, Spitzer, RL. A diagnostic interview: schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1978; 35:837–44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR)Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington DC. American Psychiatric Association, 2000.Google Scholar
12.World Health Organization. The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders. Diagnostic Criteria for Research. World Health Organization: Geneva. 1993.Google Scholar
13.Phillips, GT, Gossop, MR, Edwards, G, Sutherland, G, Taylor, C, Strang, G. The application of the SODQ to the severity of opiate dependence in a British sample. British Journal of Addictions 1987; 82:691–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Moran, P, Leese, M, Lee, T, Walters, P, Thornicroft, G, Mann, A. 2003. Standardised Assessment of Personality Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS): preliminary validation of a brief screen for personality disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry 183(3):228–232.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Central Statistics Office www.cso.ie/statistics/population/travsbysexagemaritalstatus2002.htmGoogle Scholar
16.Bromet, EJ, Dew, MA, Eaton, W. Epidemiology of psychosis with special reference to schizophrenia. In: Tsuang, MT, Tohan, M, Zahner, GEP (Eds). Textbook in Psychiatric Epidemiology. 3rd edition. 1995. New York, Wiley-Liss.Google Scholar
17.Duffy, D, Linehan, S, O'Neill, H, Kennedy, HGIrish Travellers and forensic mental health. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 2002;19(3):76–79Google Scholar
18.Department of Health and Children: Benzodiazepines: Good Practice Guidelines for Clinicians. 2002. Dublin, DoHC.Google Scholar
19.Scully, PJ, Owens, JM, Kinsella, A, Waddington, JL. Schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorder within an epidemiologically complete, homogenous population in rural Ireland: small area variation in rate. Schizophrenia Research 2004; 67:143–155CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Duffy, D, Lenihan, S, Kennedy, H. Screening prisoners for mental disorders. Psychiatric Bulettin 2003,27:241–242.Google Scholar
21.Penrose, LS. 1939. Mental disease and crime: outline of a comparative study of European statistics. British Journal of Medical Psychology 18, 1–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Torrey, EF 1995. Jails and prisons – America's new mental hospitals. American Journal of Public Health 85(12): 1611–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23.Gunn, J. 2000. Future directions for treatment in forensic psychiatry. British Journal of Psychiatry 176: 332–338.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24.Priebe, S, Badesconyi, A, Fioritti, A. Reinstitutionalisation in mental health care: comparison of data on service provision from six European countries. British Medical journal 2005;330:123–126.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.James, DV 1999. Court diversion at 10 years: can it work, does it work and has it a future? Journal of Forensic Psychiatry 10: 507–524.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26.Birminham, L. Diversion From Custody. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 2001. 7;198–207.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
27.Harding, T. Prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment: medical implications of a new European Convention. Lancet 1989; 1:1191–1193.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28.O'Grady, J. The complementary role of regional and local secure provision for psychiatric patients. Health Trends 1990; 22: 14–16.Google Scholar
29.Kennedy, HG. Therapeutic Uses of Security: mapping forensic mental health services by stratifying risk. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 2002; 8: 433–443CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30.O'Neill, C, Sinclair, H, Kelly, A, Kennedy, HG. Interaction of forensic and general psychiatric services in Ireland: learning the lessons or repeating the mistakes? Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine 2002; 19(2): 48–54.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed