AN inspection of Jersey’s only prison has led to concerns being raised about a lack of support for neurodiverse inmates.
The report, published last week, found that while 23 prisoners had been identified as neurodivergent, few had care plans in place, and staff awareness of how to support them was “weak”.
In it, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said: “Support for prisoners with neurodiverse needs, including in education, training and work, was limited.”
His work follows a 2023 report from the Jersey Independent Prison Monitoring Board which identified mental health as a significant concern at HMP La Moye, affecting over half of prisoners, while the JEP revealed last year that nearly a third of inmates were on medication to treat mental-health conditions.
Rachel Tippet, founder of campaign group ADHD Jersey, said she was “disappointed” by the findings.
“I share the inspector’s concerns about the limited support for neurodivergent prisoners, particularly those with ADHD, in our prison system,” she said.
“Around 30% of prisoners meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, which is significantly higher than the general population.”
The campaigner added that she wanted to work with the prison to introduce programmes to help prisoners with ADHD, including those who address low self-worth and negative experiences that often lead to poor choices.
“All prisoners should be screened for ADHD and supported to reduce reoffending and increase wellbeing and self-worth,” she added.
The report comes after a former inmate with ADHD called for more support within the prison system; she explained that her diagnosis helped her understand past behaviour and manage her impulsivity.
She told the JEP last year: “The system wants to reduce reoffending and rehabilitate. Maybe by trying to educate prisoners who show traits of ADHD as to what is most likely going on for them internally, this will assist the reoffending rates.”
Although there is no Jersey-specific data, a 2022 report by the ADHD Foundation estimated that a quarter of prisoners in Britain have the condition.
This figure is significantly higher than the estimated 2% to 4% of adults in the general population who have ADHD.
Former Prison Governor Susie Richardson, who recently resigned from her role due to “frustration” with government processes and policies preventing improvement, also told the JEP last year that staff and inmates had received training on working with those exhibiting ADHD symptoms.
She also explained that the prison had also formally added “neurodiversity” as a resettlement pathway to aid rehabilitation and reduce reoffending after an inmate’s release.
She explained that ADHD clinics were also held to review and adjust treatment for diagnosed prisoners on an ad hoc basis.
