Prison Suicide Highlights Crisis in Mental Health

Media Statement
Monday 9 February 2009

Prison Suicide Highlights Crisis in Forensic Mental Health

The recent suicide of Antonie Dixon in prison, while tragic, is not surprising,” says Florence Leota, Chief Executive of Schizophrenia Fellowship New Zealand (SFNZ).

“This is a high profile case, but it’s by no means the only one. All too often we’re seeing a number of mentally ill prisoners taking their own lives. It points squarely to a crisis in forensic mental health and something needs to be done about it.

“As New Zealand’s largest mental health organization that supports family/whanau we are all too aware of the shortcomings of New Zealand’s forensic mental health system” says Ms Leota.

SFNZ is working with an increasing number of families with a relative in prison. A recent survey of its 21 branches confirmed that the majority of branches are now working with families of prisoners. Families already feel distressed, angry and upset that their relative is in prison, particularly when in many cases their crime was committed as a result of their illness.

“Families also have to deal with the knowledge that their relative receives little or no mental health care while in prison. This has serious consequences, and suicide is one”says Ms Leota. “Another consequence is that their relative is released from prison clearly unwell, with no referral or recovery plan in sight. Families have to pick up the pieces with little information, resources or support.

“While I’m sure we all agree that someone with a mental illness who poses a threat to the safety of others should be kept apart from the community, they must still have access to appropriate mental health treatment” says Florence Leota. “A key issue here is that the justice system is failing mentally ill prisoners and their families by not providing the necessary ongoing care and support.”

Immediate dialogue needs to be opened up between the relevant government departments, NGOs and community agencies supporting prisoners with a mental illness and their families, with the goal of improving mental health care in prisons.

“If we don’t take action now, we can expect to see more suicides, an increasing number of prisoners with untreated mental illness and more families picking up the pieces”, concluded Florence Leota.

ENDS

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