Women's mental health and mental illness in custody

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide a background, raise awareness and initiate discussion around the issue of women's mental health and mental illness in custody. It outlines current indications of the level of unmet need for mental health services in Queensland prisons. It also identifies existing suggestions for responding to this need. Women's anecdotal views of imprisonment and the effect on the individual's mental health are presented with the emphasis on acknowledging and valuing women's experience of the criminal justice system, particularly custodial corrections. The article is written from a consumer perspective based on a review of the current literature, the personal experience of the author and the experiences of imprisoned women as told to the author. The identity of the women is protected by referring to these experiences as ‘anecdotal’.