Abstract

Many people with severe mental health problems experience imprisonment at some point in life. Most mental disorders are more prevalent in imprisoned populations compared to general populations. The following chapter addresses the prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders in prison populations, screening instruments and treatment approaches. The incidence of suicide and prevention interventions are outlined for the prison context. Challenges for care resulting from high levels of comorbidity and specificities of the prison context are reviewed. Routine screening and treatments need to be scaled. More prevention and treatment intervention trials in prison populations are needed, since evidence is scarce and not necessarily transferrable from community settings.