ABSTRACT
High levels of mental health problems amongst prison populations are a global issue, with research showing that prisoners have substantially higher rates of mental disorder than the general population. This chapter examines international research on the level of mental health needs in prison and models of mental health treatment provision before moving on to discuss some of the key critical issues regarding the interface between confinement and mental health. These include the notion of 'healthy' prisons, personality disorders, and issues of risk and whether so-called 'equivalent' care can ever be provided in the prison setting. The chapter illustrates some of these topics by drawing on a small qualitative study of mental health in-reach services in a local prison in England. The goal of providing equivalent mental healthcare is likely to be substantially hindered by the constraints of the prison environment and regime which may require substantial adaptations to the organization of care.
