Around one-third of European prisoners suffer from mental disorders, according to a report published by the Regional Office of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for Europe on Wednesday about mental health in prisons. Researchers say that overcrowding can negatively affect the mental health of detainees.
The survey, which was carried out in 2021 in 36 countries, offers an overview of the performance of prison health systems in 2020, a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the same year, 613,497 people were incarcerated in European countries – a 6.6% drop on 2019, largely due to Covid-19 measures.
Largely, prisons took appropriate actions to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus within their prisons. Vaccines were offered to prisoners in all European WHO member countries and quarantine procedures were enforced in case of infection.
On the other hand, the study revealed that 16.7% of European countries did not offer a vaccine against hepatitis B or against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) in their prisons, despite official recommendations.
Mental oppression
Significantly, the report highlighted the psychological ailments of many European inmates. 32.8% of prisoners were found to suffer from mental disorders. It was also noted that the most frequent cause of death among prisoners was suicide, with rates much higher than in civil society.
Overcrowding is also an issue; in Belgium, overcrowding is having a significant impact on levels of rehabilitation. Belgium has some of Europe’s most overcrowded prisons, with a standing capacity of around 108%. During the pandemic, prisoners were unable to receive support services and Belgian prison staff regularly went on strike as a result of poor working conditions.
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To relieve chronic overcrowding, the WHO recommends alternative measures to imprisonment for offences which pose “no high risk to society.” With Belgium’s new Penal Code, judges have the possibility to enforce suspended sentences or civil service to minor offenders.
The WHO particularly recommends that nations establish treatment centres for drug use disorders. “Incarceration should never become a sentence to poorer health. All citizens have the right to quality health care, regardless of their legal status,” said Dr Hans Henri Kluge, Director of the European Bureau of Health at the WHO.
