On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, which is commemorated this Monday, ACAIP-UGT has once again denounced the lack of resources in the Tahiche prison, also in relation to this problem. “In the Lanzarote prison, there have been two suicides throughout the year: one of them took place in September and the other just ten days ago”, the unions warn, stating that there is a “deficit of healthcare personnel.” Specifically, they maintain that “of 14 professionals who should be working in said prison, currently only 6 positions are covered by career personnel.”
“30% of the prison population reports that they are currently in treatment with psychiatric medication and more than 20% have tried to take their own life in some way. We must not forget that the suicide rate in prison is 8 times higher than that of the general population, with mental illness being the cause behind many of these deaths,” warns the majority union.
In a statement, ACAIP-UGT insists on the “serious problem” that psychiatric pathologies pose in penitentiary centers throughout Spain. “In 2020, the last year for which there are records, Penitentiary Institutions recognize that 7,432 inmates were discharged from the infirmaries of penitentiary centers due to psychiatric pathologies, 41.6% of the total”, it underlines.
“Mental illness in prison is one of the serious problems facing the institution. With a deficit of doctors that in September reached 61% nationwide, it is impossible to provide adequate care, detect problems with medication and even prevent outbreaks that lead to regulatory problems and attacks on other inmates or workers. It must be taken into account that many of these inmates are in ordinary modules, where there is a significant staff deficit and a high average age that prevents providing an adequate service,” he adds.
In addition, he explains that “the penitentiary system only has two psychiatric hospitals dedicated to complying with security measures depriving freedom imposed judicially” which, “consequently, do not act as reference hospitals for psychiatric care strictly speaking, so this is done in the infirmaries and modules of the penitentiary centers, which do not have the means, in an environment in which 5% of the prison population are seriously and chronically mentally ill”.
“Mental health is one of the pending issues of our society, which in prison is enhanced by the special circumstances that derive from living in a closed environment and the characteristics of people deprived of liberty, articulating itself as a stressful factor and a possible trigger for a latent mental illness. Therefore, prevention, detection and treatment is vital to avoid self-harm and regulatory incidents. With the deficit in penitentiary healthcare, it is impossible to cover this need with guarantees,” ACAIP questions.
“It is not just a matter of medical attention, it is about the most basic assistance and not establishing a double penalty for those who are deprived of liberty, without ignoring the serious alteration of order and security problems that the lack of healthcare generates in penitentiary centers,” he warns.
