The sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) has been used far more than was originally expected and has significant mental health implications.
IPPs are sentences for prisoners who are deemed to be a 'dangerous' offender. They are placed on sentences with a minimum term, but of potentially indeterminate length. Release is determined by the Parole Board, who assess risk reduction following course completion and risk management planning.
Currently there are nearly 4,000 IPP in prisons in England and Wales. This far exceeds the Government's original estmate. Only 17 IPP prisoners have been released to date, just 3% of those who have reached the end of their minimum term. This is in part due to the shortage of treatment and behaviour programmes available to IPP prisoners, which need to be completed to demonstrate suitability for release.
Those serving IPP sentences probably have a higher prevalence of mental illness than those on other sentence types. This is perhaps because IPPs are sometimes used instead of mental health options such as hospital orders.
The indeterminate nature of IPPs, as well as the uncertainly felt by prisoners about their sentence has, in particular, impacted negatively on their emotional and mental strain.
We have set up a study to explore the mental health implications of IPPs. We aim to increase awareness of IPPs and assess the effects on the mental health of individuals and any recommendations for models of care.
It is urgent work as IPPs are set to increase significantly (the government forecasts 12,000 by 2014) and they are already having a large impact on the overcrowding in prisons.
Interviews with IPP prisoners and staff are being conducted and the final report will be completed by autumn 2008.
For more details, please contact Max Rutherford.