(ANSA) – ROME, FEBRUARY 16 – One in three prisoners in Europe suffers from mental disorders and the most common cause of death in prisons is suicide, with a much higher rate than in the outside community. The alarm comes from the World Health Organization (WHO) which in a report after noting how European prisons have adequately managed the pandemic denounces serious mental health problems, overcrowding and suicide rates.
“Detention should never become a sentence of ill health. All citizens have the right to good quality healthcare, regardless of their legal status.” said Hans Henri Kluge, regional director of the WHO Office for Europe.
The report, which analyzed performance in prisons in 36 EU countries where 600,000 people are detained, found that 32.6% of inmates suffer from mental health disorders. The survey also draws attention to various emergencies, including overcrowding (which affects one in five states) and, indeed, the lack of mental health services.
The report suggests that alternative non-custodial measures be considered for crimes which do not pose a high risk to society and for which more effective measures exist, such as alternative treatment for drug use disorders. (HANDLE).
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