Thousands of people with mental health problems are ending up in jail rather than receiving treatment, the Prison Reform Trust has said.

Offering mental health and social care instead of custody would relieve pressure on prisons and could cut reoffending rates, the trust argues.

It says figures show one in 10 inmates have a 'serious mental health issue'. The government said it had made it clear that offenders with severe mental illness should be treated not punished.

The trust report adds that 90% of inmates have at least one diagnosed mental health disorder. Its report is based on information from 57 Independent Monitoring Boards - citizen groups which regularly visit prisons in England and Wales.

For more details on the report, and the Government’s response, go to the link below.

Source: BBC News website

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