Too many offenders are imprisoned because community orders with mental health treatment requirements are unavailable in many areas. The Government’s target that community orders with mental health treatment requirements should be available across 50% of England and Wales by 2023 is insufficiently ambitious. It is unacceptable that in many parts of the country and for years to come, sentencers will continue to be obliged to send offenders to prisons simply because appropriate community sentenc...

Too many offenders are imprisoned because community orders with mental health treatment requirements are unavailable in many areas. The Government’s target that community orders with mental health treatment requirements should be available across 50% of England and Wales by 2023 is insufficiently ambitious. It is unacceptable that in many parts of the country and for years to come, sentencers will continue to be obliged to send offenders to prisons simply because appropriate community sentences are unavailable. Type: conclusion | Number: 8 | Paragraph: 43 | Response status: under_consideration Government response: NICE guidance on the Physical Health of People in Prison (NG57)10 and the Service Specification for Integrated Mental Health Service for Prisons (2018) in England specify that screening, assessment and treatment for mental health issues should be in place as appropriate and delivered by professional