Neurotic disorders

I I Use of medication and services ............ .............................................................................................
In all sample groups, young offenders who had problems in prison was the length of time the
been receiving help for mental or emotional respondent had been in prison. As would be
problems in the year before coming to prison were expected, those who had been in prison for 3
more likely to report receiving such help while in months or more had significantly increased odds of
prison. For example, while 29% of male remand reporting treatment compared with those who had
and 43% of female young offenders who said they been in prison less than 1 month. (Thble I 1.7)
had been receiving treatment before coming to
prison reported treatment in prison, this was true
for only 80/0and 16O/o,respectively, of those who 1t.4 Refusal of helpor support
had not had treatment. However, it should be i
noted that in all groups over half of those who had In relation to help or support for mental, nervous
been receiving treatment for mental problems or emotional problems in the year before coming
before coming to prison had not received such
to prison and in the past year (or since coming to
treatment during their current spell in prison, prison this time), respondents were asked two sets
(Table 11.4) of questions about help or support refused. One set
asked about help that had been offered to them but
The types of help recorded in prison are slightly which they had turned down. The categories of
_ different from those for the period before prison help offered were the same as used in the questions
reflecting the different availability of services. The on help received. The second set asked about help
prison doctor replaces GP/family doctor, pastor or or treatment that they had asked for but which had
chaplain replaces psychiatric social worker and been refused.
voluntary worker replaces drugs-related worker.
However the same major groupings of services Around one in ten male respondents and one in six
were applied and a very similar pattern of service female young offenders had been offered help
use is seen. The most frequently reported source of which they had turned down in the year before
help for mental problems in prison was the prison coming to prison and a similar proportion had
doctor, mentioned by about half of those who had turned down some form of help since coming to
received help, followed by help from a psychiatrist, prison (or in the past year). The most common
(Table 11.3) sources of help that was turned down before
cOming to prison was that of a probation officer or
Disorders and other factors independently drugs worker while in prison it was help from a
associated with receipt of treatment for mental or pastor or chaplain. (Table 11.5)
emotional problems in prison were identified using
multiple logistic regression analysis. As was the case In every sample group, the proportion who
for treatment in the year before coming to prison, reported asking for help which was refused since
_ the receipt of treatment since coming to prison (or coming to prison (or in the past year) was about
•: in the past year if the person had been in prison for double that of those who had had requests refused
over a year) was independently as_iated with before coming to prison. For example, while 5% of
significant levels of neurotic symptoms and with male remand respondents reported having a
probable psychosis. The odds of a person with a
request for help turned down in the year before
CIS-R score of 18 or above reporting treatment in coming to prison 10% of them reported having a
prison were about three times that for people with a request turned down since coming to prison. For
score of less than 12. Evidence of probable psychosis female young offenders the corresponding figures
increased the odds of treatment by a factor of 8. were 7% before prison and 14% since coming to
prison. The requests most frequently refused in
The only other factor significantly associated with prison were for medication, counselling, and to see
the likelihood of reporting treatment for mental a psychiatrist. (Table 11.6)
)
70 PsychiatricMorbidityamong YoungOffendersin EnglandandWales
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