Should prisoners with “serious mental health issues” be in La Moye?

Monday 13 February 2017

Jersey’s Prison Board of Visitors has raised serious concerns over the “significant number of offenders with serious mental issues” who are being locked up at La Moye.

In the Board's last annual report – its job’s being taken over by a new Independent Monitoring Body next year – it says it believes many of those behind bars shouldn’t really be there.

It says they should be getting specialist treatment and has raised the issue with prison authorities. Two prisoners are now in secure mental health facilities in the UK. The report doesn’t say how many more prisoners with mental health issues are still in the prison or what long-term plans are being considered to solve the problem.

Elsewhere the Board says its concerns about financial cuts adversely affecting prison life have fortunately proven ill founded. Last year it was announced staffing cuts meant prisoners were going to have to be locked up in their cells an hour earlier in the evening than had formerly been the case. But, the Board notes, it was “very pleased that this new regime has been excellently managed and has not had any adverse consequences."

Similarly the Board was relieved the States has continued to support La Moye’s training and education initiatives. It described this as a “wise and percipient decision”. It argues that in the long-run this is better value for money since it reduces the likelihood of re-offending.

In conclusion the Board says: “our prison runs smoothly and generally quietly, with truly excellent relations for the most part between inmates and staff."