An inspection of Jersey’s only prison has raised concerns about a lack of support for neurodiverse inmates.
Published last week, a review of HMP La Moye from the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons found that, while 23 prisoners had been identified as neurodivergent, few had care plans in place.
Staff awareness of how to support neurodiverse inmates was “weak”, according to the report.
It read: “Support for prisoners with neurodiverse needs, including in education, training and work, was limited.”
It comes after a 2023 report by the Jersey Independent Prison Monitoring Board identified mental health as a significant concern at La Moye, affecting over half of prisoners, while it last year emerged that nearly a third of inmates were on medication for mental health conditions.
Rachel Tippet, founder of campaign group ADHD Jersey, said she was “disappointed” by the recent findings.
“I share the inspector’s concerns about the limited support for neurodivergent prisoners, particularly those with ADHD, in our prison system,” she said.
Rachel added that the number of inmates who meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD is “significantly higher than the general population”.
She continued: “All prisoners should be screened for ADHD and supported to reduce reoffending and increase well-being and self-worth.”
Rachel said she wanted to work with La Moye to introduce programmes to help prisoners with ADHD, including those that address low self-worth and negative experiences that often lead to poor choices.
A former inmate with ADHD also recently called for more support within the prison system as she explained that her diagnosis helped her understand past behaviour and manage her impulsivity.
She told Express last year: “The system wants to reduce re-offending and rehabilitate.
“Maybe by trying to educate prisoners who show traits of ADHD as to what is most likely going on for them internally, this will assist the reoffending rates.”
Although there is no Jersey-specific data, a 2022 report by the ADHD Foundation estimated that a quarter of prisoners in Britain have ADHD compared to 2% to 4% of adults in the general population.
Former Jersey prison governor Susie Richardson – who recently resigned from her role due to “frustration” with government processes and policies preventing improvement – also told Express last year that staff and inmates had received training on working with those exhibiting ADHD symptoms.
She explained that the prison had also formally added “neurodiversity” as a resettlement pathway to aid rehabilitation and reduce reoffending post-release.
The former prisoner governor added that ADHD clinics were also held to review and adjust treatment for diagnosed prisoners on an ‘ad hoc’ basis.