Inmate mental healthcare cuts recidivism rates

By THE NATION

 

Boonruang Triruangworawat

 

BANGKOK: -- THE NUMBER of crimes committed by ex-inmates with mental-health problems has been reduced to nearly zero over the past nine months.

The Mental Health Department’s director-general, Squadron Leader Boonruang Triruangworawat, recently disclosed the figures and credited an initiative to provide mental healthcare to convicts behind bars for the success.

 

“The ultimate goal is to prevent them from becoming repeated offenders,” Boonruang said.

 

A 2015 survey conducted at the Thon Buri Special Prison in 2015 found that 36.2 per cent of inmates had mental-health problems. About 8.4 per cent suffered from depression, while another 7.8 per cent struggled with anxiety disorders, the Galya Rajanagarindra Institute found in its survey. Some 7.2 per cent of prisoners were considered at risk of suicide, while 7.7 per cent were diagnosed with psychosis. 

 

Boonruang said every inmate receives treatment and care after being diagnosed with mental-health problems.

 

At present, there are 319,941 inmates at 143 prisons across the country. The Mental Health Department has assigned its 13 psychiatric hospitals to take care of inmates found to have developed mental-health issues. 

 

Dr Kitkawee Pono, the director of Nakhon Phanem Rajanaga-rindra Psychiatric Hospital, disclosed that his hospital has taken care of 65 inmates with mental-health problems. 

 

“We have provided them with medicine and evaluated their conditions every three months,” he said. “We have also recruited about 100 well-behaved inmate volunteers to help watch over these inmates.” Boonruang said help continues after inmates complete their terms. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30321573

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-24

One might think that if there were mental health care for the general public, there might be fewer potential inmates to lock up?

Leading cause of recidivism is parole.