Consultation on the mental health needs of offenders and ex-offenders

Report - 30 June 2017

Evidence shows that mental health problems are significantly higher within prisons than in the
general population. Read our report on how this problem can be addressed.

If no one has a place to rest their head, it affects their mind. Your home is somewhere you build from. If you haven't got a home, you can't build

What we did

We advertised a survey on social media and websites. Surveys were also taken to outreach events.

This was also open to ex-offenders, service providers and others who may have knowledge of the topic.

Key Findings

Having secure housing alongside mental health support is needed for ex- offenders to better integrate into society. In addition:

There was a need for more mental health support services and supportive activities, such as interest groups focused on physical exercise.
Many organisations that had been supporting offenders and ex-offenders are struggling to fund or continue their activities or lacking a local focus.
There is a gap in provision of services in Wandsworth that provide support before people find themselves in prisons or when they leave.