National finally come up with a plan to lower prison numbers - suicide

Suicide rate lifts in jail
Mental health and addiction problems contribute to a prisoner suicide rate nearly five times higher than the general population.

New Zealand's suicide rate is 11 per 100,000 people compared with about 50 per 100,000 in prisons.

A recent National Health Committee report said that 89 per cent of prisoners had lifetime substance abuse, 52 per cent had lifetime psychotic, mood or anxiety disorders and 60 per cent had mild to severe personality disorders.

Prisoners are often young, Maori and from low socio-economic groups, which, research shows, increases their suicide risk.

About 5 per cent of prisoners get mental health treatment while in prison.

Isn't it hilarious when hate becomes social policy? Simon Powers and Judith Collins have done all they can to make NZers believe Prison is an adult disneyland where criminals sit laughing at their victims while enjoying Prison landscaping that rivals the great gardens of Europe. The myopic crime ratings driven media feed an anger that gets so easily manipulated by politicians, cramming so many prisoners into prison that they have a suicide rate 5 times higher than the general population is an astonishing failure of public policy.