Defined Terms

Manic Depression Amongst Inmates As Identified In Medical Reports/Journals/Articles

Below is an extract from 2009 NSW Inmate Health Survey: Key Findings Report - Executive Summary

"Mental health

The proportion of participants who had ever been assessed or treated by a doctor or psychiatrist for a mental health problem increased steadily from 39% in 1996 to 43% in 2001 to 49% in 2009. This increase was mostly due to an increasing proportion of men being treated for mental health problems (from 35% in 1996 to 41% in 2001 to 47%), as the proportion of women remained steady at around 54%. The three most common mental health conditions were depression, anxiety and drug dependence.

Similarly, an increasing proportion of participants reported ever having been admitted to a psychiatric unit from 13% in 1996 to 14% in 2001 to 16% in 2009. A higher proportion of women (20%) than men (15%) reported this in 2009.

• There was a steady decline in participants who had ever thought about committing suicide (from 42% in 1996 to 36% in 2001 to 33% in 2009). This drop was most notable among women, decreasing from 60% in 1996 to 38% in 2009.

• There was also a small decrease in the proportion of participants who had ever attempted suicide (from 24% in 1996 to 22% in 2001 to 21% in 2009), with a higher proportion of women (27%) than men (19%) reporting having attempted suicide in 2009.

• The rates of self-harm remained relatively stable from 1996 to 2009, at around 15% for all participants. However, a steady decline was observed among women, from 23% in 1996 to 21% in 2001 to 17% in 2009."

MENTAL ILLNESS AMONG NEW SOUTH WALES PRISONERS - Tony Butler  Stephen Allnutt  - August 2003

Lifers deemed never to be released are dying a thousand deaths; experiencing a manic depressive QOL

What Death Penalty Opponents Don’t Get - Huffington Post  -  Dec 01, 2014

2009 NSW Inmate Health Survey: Key Findings Report  -  Executive Summary

SOCIETY’S RESPONSE TO THE VIOLENT OFFENDER - Australian Institute of Criminology - First published in 1989, subsequently updated

Chapter 13 - Mental health and the criminal justice system - Aust Govt

 

 

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