Calls For Greater Use Of Mental Health Treatment For Offenders With Mental Health Problems

More news from the Centre for Mental Health. They have published a new briefing paper which looks at the provision of mental health care for adults in the criminal justice system.

The paper states "Despite the fact that we know that as many as a quarter of offenders have a mental illness its disappointing to discover that since its introduction in 2005 the mental health treatment requirement still represents well-under 1 per cent of all requirements issued."

Sean Duggan, Centre for Mental Health chief executive said, commenting on recent figures from the Ministry of Justice that show a fall in the number of Mental Health Treatment Requirements (MHTRs) issued as part of a Community Order or Suspended Sentence Order "Our research has shown that the MHTR has unfilled potential as an option for community sentences. By engaging offenders with mental health problems in effective treatment in the community, the MHTR has to potential to improve an individual's mental health and wellbeing and reduce the chances of reoffending.

You can read more about this briefing paper here: http://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/news/2012_MHTR.aspx

The Home Office's Alcohol Strategy 2012

The Home Office has introduced its new Alcohol Strategy which sets out proposals to cut down on binge drinking, alcohol fuelled violence and slash the number of people drinking to damaging levels. The Alcohol Strategy includes committments to:

• introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol
• consult on a ban on the sale of multi-buy alcohol discounting
• introduce stronger powers for local areas to control the density of licensed premises including making the impact on health a consideration for this
• pilot innovative sobriety schemes to challenge alcohol-related offending

The Alcohol Strategy is available to download here: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/alcohol-drugs/alcohol/alcohol-strategy

Next Week On Radio 4: Children, Drugs & Alternatives To Custody

Next week on BBC Radio 4:

Monday 14th May, 8.00 pm The Trouble With Kane (1/2). Documentary about a 12 year old cannabis user, one of the first youngsters in Britain to be given intensive family therapy, coupled with intensive home drug-testing, as an alternative to custody.

You can listen to the programme on BBC Radio 4 online (once its been broadcast) at this address: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01hq80p or by any other radio of course!