Yasir Kasmi evaluates the work of a specialist mental health team that attempted to change the behaviours of a group of extremely disturbed men
The close supervision centre (CSC) at Her Majesty’s Prison Wakefield is home to eight of the UK’s most challenging offenders, who are eligible for the exceptional risk unit. The aim of the CSC specialist mental health inreach team is to reduce the risks that these individuals pose to a level where they can be managed without enhanced supervision.
This article describes the roles, experiences, problems, successes and limitations of the team and what changes have been made from its inception in 2004 until 2012, when the author left his post. As some offenders no longer engaged with services, there was no quantitative data available on results. The initiative probably made little difference for most of the inmates, but speedy hospital transfer was achieved when appropriate, and the education and support of staff provided were appreciated. The CSC assessment unit worked well.
Mental Health Practice. 18, 6, 26-32. doi: 10.7748/mhp.18.6.26.e936
Correspondence Peer reviewThis article has been subject to double blind peer review
Conflict of interestThe author was visiting psychiatrist to the close supervision centre unit at HMP Wakefield between 2010 and 2012
Received: 03 October 2013
Accepted: 03 March 2014
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