Sir: Martin Narey, the recently appointed Director-General of the Prison
Service, reportedly acknowledges that most prison admissions are young men
from deprived backgrounds frequently with psychiatric and drug problems
("Jail suicide rate doubles in 15 years", 18 May). We should be asking what
they are they doing in prison in the first place and how depriving them
further will help or reform them.

A civilised society should be sufficiently mature, experienced and
compassionate to acknowledge that seeking to hurt those who hurt it
only leads to more damage. We should be addressing these damaged young
people's mental health and other needs, and be establishing humane,
effective, non-punitive alternatives to the failing, financially
draining, anachronistic prison system.

Dr RUTH S COOKLIN,
Consultant Psychiatrist,
London N20