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TS: Prisoners’ mental health examinations down
The prison mental health hospital’s chief physician, Hannu Lauerma, claims that the number of mental health assessments of criminals each year is now one third what it was in the early 1990s. As a result, he says many prisoners suffering from mental illnesses miss out on vital care.
Turun Sanomat reports that just 100 mental
health examinations of criminals take place each year. That compares to around
300 two decades ago.
Lauerma demanded a doubling in the number
of assessments to try and ensure mentally ill criminals are appropriately
treated before they are released.
Prisoners in Finland are also legally
entitled to medical care.