Abstract
The National Council of Independent Monitoring Boards recently identified prisoners’ unmet mental health needs as a foremost concern of boards across England and Wales. The report provides an overview of findings from 57 Independent Monitoring Boards which responded to a request by the National Council for information about mental health need in the prison which they monitor. A significant number of prisons receive individuals who have a serious mental illness and for whom prison is not a suitable environment. From the perspective of the Independent Monitoring Boards these people should have been diverted from custody either by the police and court liaison services or by mental health services in the community.