Review calls for early mental health diagnosis

Early diagnosis of mental health problems should be a key priority to prevent children from ending up in custody, a review has found.

Lord Bradley's Report of the Independent Review of People with Mental Health Problems and Learning Difficulties in the Criminal Justice System found that too many people pass through the criminal justice system without their mental health needs or learning disabilities being recognised.

He found that effective interventions for young people have the potential to impact on immediate offending and re-offending rates as well as influence juveniles away from an adulthood of offending.

The report predominantly focused on adults in the justice system, although Lord Bradley called for a separate piece of work to be done specifically about children.

Penelope Gibbs, of the Prison Reform Trust, said she welcomed the findings relating to prevention work and early intervention but was disappointed by the call for another review.

"The government has ample evidence that children with mental health problems, learning disabilities and difficulties are over-represented in the youth justice system and in custody, and that the treatment they receive is inadequate," she said.