The mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custody

Abstract

Introduction and Aims: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (Indigenous

Are Australian prisons meeting the needs of Indigenous offenders?

“…Less than one-third of participants reported custodial assuagement of their psychological distress. High rates of depressive episodes, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder were recently observed in samples of Indigenous prisoners (Heffernan et al 2012, 2015; (Ogloff, Pfeifer, Shepherd, & Ciorciari: Assessing the mental health, substance abuse, cognitive functioning and social/emotional well-being needs of Aboriginal prisoners in Australia, submitted). Whether elevated rates of psychological distress are the result of social adversity prior to custody or the experience of custody itself (or a combination of the two), Australian correctional facilities have long struggled with providing appropriate and effective services in this space.…”

“…The majority of participants also experienced psychological distress. Elevated levels of mental illness and psychological distress have been found among Australian Indigenous people in both correctional settings and in the general population (Butler et al 2007; Dudgeon et al 2014; Heffernan et al 2012; Jorm et al 2012; (Ogloff, Pfeifer, Shepherd, & Ciorciari: Assessing the mental health, substance abuse, cognitive functioning and social/emotional well-being needs of Aboriginal prisoners in Australia, submitted). There appeared to be a discrepancy between participants views of their needs for treatment and those being prescribed/provided.…”

“…These include substance abuse, low educational attainment, unemployment, exposure/experience of violence and prior contact with the justice system (Ferrante 2013; Weatherburn et al 2006, 2008). Surveys of Indigenous prisoners add further weight to the commonality of these risk factors (AIHW 2015b; Heffernan et al 2012; Indig et al 2010, 2011; Lawrie 2003). Though few in number, investigations identifying which of these risk items predict recidivism for Indigenous offenders find that prior criminal justice system involvement and socio-environmental markers predominate (Shepherd et al 2014; Wundersitz 2010).…”

Prevalence and correlates of alcohol dependence in adult prisoners vary according to Indigenous status

“…That these associations were not significant for Indigenous prisoners is surprising, and may be at least partially explained by the way mental illness was measured: history of mental illness was assessed by self-reported lifetime diagnosis (vs. current symptoms), and a diagnosis was significantly more common among non-Indigenous prisoners. Emerging evidence from a large prevalence study in Queensland suggests selective underdiagnosis of mental illness among Indigenous prisoners, 41 such that self-reported lifetime diagnosis may selectively under-estimate the prevalence of mental illness. With more comprehensive, culturally appropriate ascertainment of mental illness, our findings may have been different.…”

Medication use and knowledge in a sample of Indigenous and non‐Indigenous prisoners

“…These health problems are particularly acute at the point of reception into custody where, despite their youth, more than a quarter of prisoners (26%) report suffering a chronic health condition (either asthma, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or cancer), 35% test positive for hepatitis C antibodies, and 31% report having been diagnosed with a mental health condition 1 . Among this already marginalised and unwell population, Indigenous people are over‐represented by an age‐adjusted factor of 15, and present with an even higher prevalence of ill health and many health‐related risk behaviours 4–6 …”