Dr Tom Grange’s Post

Prison suicide rates are alarming. Men are 3.7x more likely to die by suicide; women a shocking 20x. We must reform prisons, focus on rehabilitation, and address systemic issues. #PrisonSuicide #ReformNow #MentalHealth

Keir Starmer has proposed building more prisons to deal with the problem of overcrowding. Really? that's your answer? Rather than focusing on building more prisons, efforts should be directed towards prevention and addressing the factors that lead to criminal behavior. One significant area to look at is the school-to-prison pathway. Many young people who are expelled from school often end up getting involved in criminal activities. Research has shown that expelled children are more likely to turn to crime as they struggle with a lack of support and opportunities. Each year, thousands of children are expelled from schools in the UK. For instance, in the 2019-2020 academic year, there were around 5,000 permanent exclusions. Without proper intervention, many of these young people may end up in the criminal justice system. Programs aimed at keeping at-risk youth in school and providing them with the necessary support can significantly reduce the likelihood of them turning to crime. Another critical issue is the situation faced by prisoners upon their release. In the past year, thousands of people have been released from prison in the UK only to find themselves homeless and without support. Studies have shown that nearly one-third of people released from prison end up homeless. Without a stable place to live, many resort to crime again simply to survive, perpetuating a cycle of incarceration. Building more prisons doesn't solve anything, focus on prevention strategies, such as improving education, providing mental health support, and offering rehabilitation programs, can address the root causes of crime. Additionally, supporting people released from prison by ensuring they have housing and employment opportunities can help reduce recidivism rates. https://lnkd.in/dM4wZ9JG #CriminalJusticeReform #EducationMatters #PreventCrime #SchoolToPrisonPipeline #SupportExOffenders #ReduceRecidivism #PrisonOvercrowding #SocialJustice #MentalHealthSupport #YouthIntervention #HomelessnessCrisis #CommunitySupport #JusticeForAll #UKPolicy #FutureOfJustice #BreakingTheCycle #Rehabilitation #EndHomelessness #PrisonReform #InvestInPrevention

“We're calling on the new Government to make a new start for mental health. And given the urgency of the situation in prisons today, the justice system is a crucial place for that action to begin now.” - Andy Bell We're pleased to see the appointment of James Timpson as minister of state for prisons, parole and probation. Prison reform is long overdue. Too many prisons are overcrowded and unsafe. And too many people leave prison with inadequate help for their mental health. Justice reform must mean comprehensive reform of the Mental Health Act, including a 28-day limit on transfers from prison to a hospital bed. Too many people wait too long for urgent treatment in a system that is antiquated and unfair. https://lnkd.in/ebzESzwE #Prisons #PrisonMentalHealth #PrisonReform #MentalHealthAct #MentalHealthActReform #NewGovernment

We need to really question the cost:benefit of UK prisons. " The nation is prison-mad, and has the largest prison population per head in western Europe" Why? Who benefits? Let's stop the school to prison pipeline and make ALL our population of all ages fit to learn, calmly. www.fit-2-learn.com #motorsensoryintegration #childdevelopment #skillsforlife #mentalhealth #cognition #motorskills #soundprocessing https://lnkd.in/dZAjiHNv

Prisons are unsafe for women, and many women shouldn’t be there in the first place. Most women are imprisoned for non-violent crimes, often serving less than six months for offences like shoplifting. With self-harm at its highest rate ever and mental health issues affecting 76% of women in prison, it’s clear that we need a radical approach to rethinking women’s prisons. https://ow.ly/Bia550SM5SG #PrisonReform #Prison #WomensPrisons

#UnapologeticLeadershipThoughts - Continued Supporting Postsecondary Partnerships with Prisons Colleges and universities have a long history of partnering with prisons to provide postsecondary education programs for inmates. Research shows that prison programs are highly significant in producing positive outcomes post-incarceration. One study shows that recidivism rates are reduced by a staggering 43% for those prisoners who participate in prison education programs. The recidivism rate is only 14% for those who receive an associate’s degree, 5.6% for those who obtain a bachelor’s degree, and 0% for those who obtain a master’s degree. Formerly incarcerated individuals who participate in postsecondary education programs also are more likely to find employment after release. As you can see, this is a public health and safety issue. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gUeN93HP

Are Prisons Obsolete by Dr. Angela Davis - Download "The question of whether the prison has become an obsolete institution has become especially urgent in light of the fact that more than two million people (out of a world total of nine million) now inhabit U.S. prisons, jails, youth facilities, and immigrant detention centers. Are we willing to relegate ever larger numbers of people from racially oppressed communities to an isolated existence marked by authoritarian regimes, violence, disease, and technologies of seclusion that produce severe mental instability? According to a recent study, there may be twice as many people suffering from mental illness who are in jails and prisons than there are in all psychiatric hospitals in the United States combined" https://lnkd.in/e8yPXhwA #Abolition #Prisons #Prison #CriminalJustice #RacialJustice #Justice #SocialJustice #Autism #MentalIllness #Disability #Immigration #Incarceration #MentalHealth

An annual report on the state of prisons has pointed to “brutalising conditions,” “drugs and violence” & a failure to address “unmet mental health needs”, from HM Inspectorate of Prisons. For women in prison, there are record-highs of self-harm that are 9x higher than in men’s prisons. Use of force to manage women in crisis was high. In the last 8 months it was used 22 times to strip women of all clothing to place them in anti-tear clothing.    This *cannot* go on - we know #TheAnswerIsNotPrison Read the report: https://bit.ly/3XnKe4G This report coincides with the start of the government’s early release scheme today, which will see the first tranche of women released after 40%, rather than 50% of their time in prison. We have welcome the early release of women, who are mostly in prison for non-violent crimes. We have also made a series of recommendations to ensure women released from prison can stay in their communities.     Read more: https://bit.ly/4ec4UDu 

Healthcare inside prisons + jails has a direct effect on public safety + economic prosperity in our communities. Innovative integrated physical/behavioral care models will create healthier people while saving costs downstream. States should give correctional leaders the funds they need to deploy the best possible integrated care, complete with outcome based incentives to spark innovation. What happens inside has dramatic effects on what’s possible outside. Let’s fix both. #healthcare #valuebasedcare #ACO #Medicaid #health #digitalhealth #healthinsurance

2024 marks ten years since Catch22 published its highly acclaimed research on the impact of gangs and violence in prisons. In today's blog Miranda Shanks, Policy and Communications Manager for Justice & Education, explores what we know about violence in prison and what needs to happen in the next ten years. Read it here: https://ow.ly/FOWP50RmVsH