Mental illness and mental health service contact among men leaving prison who have histories of injecting drug use in Victoria, Australia

This thesis focussed on the mental health of men imprisoned in Australia who reported histories of injecting drug use. Using a range of data, from interviews with men imprisoned to health records, this thesis found substantial mental illness experienced by this population. Importantly, this research highlights the need for advancements in health information sharing to support people with mental illness on entering and exiting prison. This thesis also highlights the need for a fundamental shift in the criminalisation of minor drug offences to prevent imprisonment and improve outcomes for people with mental illness who use illicit drugs