Women in prison: mental health and well-being – a guide for prison staff

People in prison have a disproportionately high rate of poor mental health, and research shows these rates are even higher for women in prison. While primary care remains the responsibility of healthcare professionals, frontline prison staff play an important role in protecting and addressing mental health needs of women in prison.

Penal Reform International (PRI), in partnership with the Prison Reform Trust (PRT), has published a guide for prison and probation staff to help them understand how prison life can affect a person’s mental health, with a focus on women. The guide aims to break down the stigma and discrimination attached to poor mental health, especially for women in prison.

This guide is written to help understand how life in prison can affect a person’s mental health, with a focus on women. It describes how to recognise the signs of poor mental health and how best to respond. It also includes a checklist based on international human rights standards aimed to help with the implementation of key aspects of prison reform and advocacy initiatives in line with international standards and norms.

Published with the support of Better Community Business Network (BCBN) and the Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust.

Other tools and resources on health, mental health and well-being for people in prison

• Mental health in prison: A short guide for prison staff.
• PRI’s Toolbox on the UN Bangkok Rules – a range of practical resources to assist in putting the UN Bangkok Rules on women prisoners into practice.
• Guidance Document on the UN Nelson Mandela Rules – co-published with the OSCE ODIHR.

Download Women in prison: mental health and well-being here: