Prison study shows sharp increase in mental health problems among young inmates
Experts: "Sickest of all seem to end up in prison"
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An increasing proportion of young inmates in Finnish prisons have been found to have problems with mental health. The percentage of those sufering mental problems among the young prison population has grown significantly in the past ten years. During the same time, the total number of young people held behind bars has decreased.
Nearly half of all prison inmates under the age of 21 have been hospitalised for one or more mental ailments.
Finland has been seen as a model country in reducing its number of young prisoners. However, forensic psychiatrist Eila Sailas says that those who have the greatest problems in their lives are apparently more prone to end up behind bars, while the most healthy manage to avoid incarceration.
A study by Sailas and three other Finnish experts was published last week in the British Medical Journal.
In the study, prisoners aged 15 to 21 who were incarcerated in 1984 and 1985 were compared with those of the same age group in 1994 - 1995.
The first group comprised 656 individuals, and the second comprised 370; the total number of young offenders serving time had declined by about 44%.
There was a sharp increase in the proportion of young inmates who had been treated for psychoses and substance abuse. In the earlier group, about one third had undergone treatment on one or more occasions, while in the latter, the figure was 45%.
The most dramatic finding in Sailas’ opinion involved schizophrenia. In the first group, the prisoners were four times more likely to suffer from the disease than the population at large. In the latter group, the probability was eight times as high.
"Schizophrenia patients do not belong in prison. There has been a bad failure here", she says.
In their article the researchers say that their results point to a failure of the health care system.
Sailas feels that more mental health professionals would be needed in Finland’s prisons.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 21.4.2005 - TODAY |
 Prison study shows sharp increase in mental health problems among young inmates
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