ABSTRACT
By the time an individual is imprisoned undoubtedly harm has occurred to that person and to others, whether directly or indirectly. Mental disorder may play a part in entry into the criminal justice process or result from it. The mental health needs of prisoners are large but we must manage expectations of what mental health services can achieve in that setting while seeking to improve these services. In particular, we need to move beyond a largely psychosis-seeking service to deal more therapeutically with affective and anxiety disorders, and towards greater integration of criminal justice and mental health services to improve understanding of each individual and the options to manage their rehabilitation. This chapter examines levels of need; models of mental health care in prisons; the principle of equivalence; ‘ideal’ services; and management of high-risk offenders.
