8

Unavailability of community orders leads to unnecessary imprisonment for mental health needs

Conclusion
Too many offenders are imprisoned because community orders with mental health treatment requirements are unavailable in many areas. The Government’s target that community orders with mental health treatment requirements should be available across 50% of England and Wales by 2023 is insufficiently ambitious. It is unacceptable that in many parts of the country and for years to come, sentencers will continue to be obliged to send offenders to prisons simply because appropriate community sentences are unavailable.
Paragraph Reference
43
Government Response

A response document is linked to this report, dated 4 February 2022. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document.

Addressee Bodies
Ministry of Justice
Timeline
Recommendation age 5.0 yrs
Report published 29 Sep 2021