Data shows health inequalities in criminal justice system

Public Health England (PHE) has published data exhibiting the health gap between prisoners and the wider population, along with new advice to help local bodies close the gap.

PHE is working with charity Revolving Doors, the Home Office and NHS England to publish ‘Rebalancing Act’. The statistics from the report showed that people in contact with the criminal justice system face significant health inequalities: mortality rate for prisoners is 50 per cent higher than the rest of the population; people in and out of the criminal justice system are four times more likely to be smokers; 15 per cent of prisoners had been homeless immediately prior to custody, compared to a lifetime experience of homelessness of 3.5 per cent in the wider population; 42 per cent of men and women in prison and 17.3 per cent on probation suffered from depression, compared to just over 10 per cent of the rest of the population; and it is broadly recognised that many prisoners have the biological characteristics of those who are 10 years older than them.

Launching ‘Rebalancing Act’ at the House of Lords, Duncan Selbie, PHE chief executive said: “People in touch with the criminal justice system are more likely to smoke, experience depression and have overall poorer health than the general population. This is not right and it doesn’t have to be this way.

“Crime prevention and the prevention of ill health go hand in hand. This resource will help local health and crime prevention experts end this travesty, improve health across local populations and reduce re-offending rates.”