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The Daily Monitor www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM Friday, October 16, 2026 NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS | 2 Mental health is a fundamental human right, yet individuals living with severe psychiatric conditions remain among the most deeply marginalised and neglected communities in Jamaica. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health disorders account for a significant portion of the global burden of disease, with vulnerable populations in developing nations facing the highest barriers to treatment and social acceptance. In Jamaica, this issue is worsened by deep-rooted cultural stigma, institutional neglect, and outdated legal frameworks that treat mental illness as a behavioral crime rather than a medical crisis. Local health experts at the University of the West Indies Hospital (UWIH) complex have continuously warned that psychiatric care in Jamaica is severely underfunded, leaving thousands of citizens without a safety net. While the country has built an admirable outpatient community mental health model, the system breaks down for those with chronic, severe illnesses. The WHO notes that when state medical systems lack proper community housing and mobile crisis resources, individuals with psychiatric disabilities face a much higher risk of homelessness, physical abuse, and arbitrary detention by law enforcement. This electronic scrapbook investigates the ongoing human rights violations experienced by Jamaica’s mentally ill population across the medical, social, and penal systems. By exploring real investigative journalism, legal case studies, and multimedia evidence, this project highlights how institutional gaps strip these citizens of their dignity. Ultimately, this study aims to build public awareness and outline practical, evidence-based strategies that state and non-state actors can use to foster genuine care, legal protection, and social inclusion for this forgotten minority group. INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
SECTION: National Investigations www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM Vol. 1 No. 1$100 GCT INCLUDED Friday, October 14, 2026 El-dorad McCallum The Monitor Senior Staff Reporter KINGSTON, JAMAICA — Stigma, limited access to treatment and weaknesses in Jamaica’s justice system leave some people living with mental illness vulnerable to discrimination and prolonged detention. These circumstances raise serious concerns about the protection of their human rights and their opportunity to participate fully in society. TRAPPEDTRAPPED IN THEIN THE SHADOWSSHADOWSHow Jamaica’s Systemic Neglect Marginalises People Living with Mental Illness Turn to TRAPPED on Pages 4 & 5 1TASK ONE
In an investigation published by the Jamaica Observer on October 13, 2025, reporter Alicia Dunkley-Willis reported that approximately 300 people with mental illness remained in correctional facilities. The report highlighted the lack of progress in establishing suitable facilities outside prisons for people unable to participate in their trials because of their mental condition (Dunkley- Willis, 2025). Historical and Contemporary Roots of Marginalisation Jamaica’s history of mental health care includes Bellevue Hospital, established in the nineteenth century as the Jamaica Lunatic Asylum. Although institutional care provided treatment for people with serious mental health conditions, marginalisation continues in contemporary society through stigma, discrimination and barriers to appropriate care. People living with mental illness may experience ridicule, social isolation and unfair treatment when seeking employment or accessing services. Families may also face stigma and difficulties obtaining suitable support for their relatives. When treatment is inaccessible, individuals may experience worsening symptoms and reduced opportunities to participate in community life. These experiences demonstrate that marginalisation involves not only access to healthcare but also acceptance, dignity and equal opportunities. Severe Human Rights Concerns Marginalisation becomes particularly serious when people with mental illness enter the criminal justice system. The Mental Health (Offenders) Inquiry Committee, commissioned by Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, examined the prolonged detention of mentally disordered defendants. Its 2020 report identified weaknesses in the system and recommended appropriate psychiatric facilities and alternatives to conventional criminal proceedings for suitable cases (Mental Health (Offenders) Inquiry Committee, 2020). One tragic example is Noel Chambers, who died in 2020 after spending more than 40 years in custody without trial. His case highlighted the consequences of prolonged detention for people found unfit to plead (Mental Health (Offenders) Inquiry Committee, 2020). Prisons are not substitutes for specialised psychiatric facilities. Although treatment may be provided within correctional institutions, prolonged detention without suitable care raises concerns about liberty, access to justice and humane treatment. Section 13(3)(a) of Jamaica’s Constitution protects life, liberty and security of the person, while section 13(3)(h) provides for equitable and humane treatment by public authorities. Section 16(1) protects the right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time for a person charged with a criminal offence. Internationally, Articles 13, 14 and 15 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities address access to justice, liberty and security, and protection from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (Government of Jamaica, 2011; United Nations, 2006). These provisions highlight The Daily Monitor www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM Friday, October 16, 2026 NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS | 4 “Every Jamaican deserves basic respect, because ‘dignity should not depend on a doctor’s note’ or a person’s mental health status.” This photo dated April 29, 2017, shows mentally ill Jamaicans along the sidewalks in downtown Kingston (Photo: Karl McLarty) PUNISHEDPUNISHED FOR BEING ILL?FOR BEING ILL?TRAPPED from Page 1
the importance of fair legal processes, appropriate care and respect for human dignity. People who never enter the justice system may also experience discrimination, inadequate treatment and exclusion. Such barriers can prevent them from accessing opportunities and participating fully in society. Moving Forward: Three Strategies for State and Non-State Actors 1. Establish a Special Mental Health Facility for Offenders The Ministries of Health and Wellness and National Security should establish a secure mental health facility for people awaiting trial who are unable to participate in court proceedings because of their mental condition. They should receive appropriate treatment and regular reviews rather than remain in prison without suitable care. 2. Provide Treatment Instead of Prison for Minor Offences The courts should work with mental health professionals to identify individuals whose offences are linked to untreated mental illness. Where appropriate, these individuals should receive treatment instead of imprisonment for minor offences. Their progress should be monitored to support recovery and reduce unnecessary detention. 3. Expand Mental Health Support in Communities The Government should partner with non- governmental organisations, churches and community groups to provide accessible mental health services. Mobile clinics, medical check-ups, medication support and family guidance could help individuals receive treatment earlier, reducing the risk of homelessness, repeated contact with the justice system and social exclusion. A Call for Change Jamaica must address both the treatment of people detained within the justice system and the discrimination experienced by people living with mental illness in the wider community. Improved psychiatric services, fair legal processes and community support are necessary to reduce marginalisation. Mental illness does not diminish a person’s worth or right to dignity. Protecting these rights requires practical action by the State, organisations and citizens to ensure that people living with mental illness receive appropriate care and opportunities to participate in society. 5 | ADVERTORIAL The Daily Monitor Friday, October 16, 2026 www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM
2TASK TWO The Daily Monitor www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM Friday, October 16, 2026 NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS | 6 ARTICLESARTICLES and summary of marginalisation ARTICLE 1 Headline: “Tufton calls for law changes to tackle hospital ‘social cases’” Source & Date: The Jamaica Gleaner, August 17, 2026 Reporter: Corey Robinson (Senior Staff Reporter) URL: https://jamaica-gleaner.com/ article/news/20260817/tufton-calls-law- changes-tackle-hospital-social-cases Core Evidence of Rights Violations: This article focuses on Bellevue Hospital, exposing that 400 out of its 500 bed spaces are occupied by stable, discharged “social cases” abandoned by their relatives. Families strip these individuals of dignity by leaving false contact details, manipulating their assets outside, or refusing to take them back due to extreme social stigma. This constitutes a profound social rights violation, overwhelming public medical resources and transforming a treatment hospital into a permanent warehouse for the abandoned. The following articles highlight the marginalisation of people living with mental illness in Jamaica, examining reported rights violations and the social and legal issues surrounding their treatment.
SUMMARY 7 | NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS The Daily Monitor Friday, October 16, 2026 www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM ARTICLE 2 Headline: “5 years, no progress — Facility for mentally ill prisoners still on hold despite call for urgent action” Source & Date: Jamaica Observer, October 13, 2025 Reporter: Alicia Dunkley-Willis (Observer Senior Staff Reporter) URL: https://www.jamaicaobserver. com/2025/10/13/5-years-no- progress/ Core Evidence of Rights Violations: This investigative piece details how roughly 300 mentally disordered individuals unfit to plead remain imprisoned within punitive, maximum-security correctional facilities rather than medical spaces. It outlines the severe social and legal injustice where individuals are held for up to five decades without ever facing trial, which directly violates the Jamaican Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms regarding the right to liberty and a timely trial. These articles expose a painful injustice facing some of Jamaica’s most vulnerable citizens, whose struggles with mental illness are made worse by inadequate care, prolonged detention and a lack of suitable facilities. Dunkley-Willis (2025) reports that nearly 300 people with mental illnesses remain within the correctional system, some for decades, while a promised psychiatric facility remains unbuilt. Such circumstances raise serious concerns about their constitutional rights to liberty, fair and humane treatment, and protection from inhuman or degrading treatment (Jamaica, 2011, s. 13(2)(i), s. 13(3)(a), s. 13(3)(h)). Similarly, Robinson (2026) reports that approximately 400 long-term social cases occupy Bellevue Hospital’s 500 beds, highlighting concerns about whether vulnerable patients receive appropriate care and whether their dignity is adequately protected. These reports reveal the human suffering behind the statistics and raise questions about the country’s responsibility to protect people who cannot adequately advocate for themselves. They point to the need for urgent government action, improved mental health services, legal reform and stronger community support.
PHOTOGRAPHSPHOTOGRAPHS Illustrating the Repression of People Living with Mental Illness 3TASK THREE The following photographs highlight three aspects of the marginalisation of people living with mental illness in Jamaica: prolonged detention, inadequate mental health facilities and the treatment of those requiring long-term care. Each image captures a different struggle faced by this vulnerable group and draws attention to the social and institutional conditions that threaten their dignity, freedom and well-being. The Daily Monitor www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM Friday, October 16, 2026 NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS | 8 PHOTOGRAPH 1 Confinement and loss of freedom Creator: Daily News Source: National Library of Jamaica Digital Collection This historical photograph shows a patient looking through a grilled window at Bellevue Hospital, illustrating institutional confinement. Description: An inmate of the Bellevue Hospital looks through a grilled window from his cell. Date: 1974–1975, accessed October 15, 2026 Location: Bellevue Hospital, Kingston, Jamaica Rights: Permission to reproduce this image must be obtained from the National Library of Jamaica. url: https://nljdigital.nlj.gov.jm/items/ show/3335
PHOTOGRAPH 2 Correctional facilities Photographer: Karl Mclarty Source: Jamaica Observer Headline: OVERLOAD! Transfer of mentally ill prisoners from Spanish Town to Tower Street putting pressure on system A photograph of the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre illustrates the prison setting in which people with mental health conditions have been detained instead of receiving care in a suitable psychiatric facility. Date: February 22, 2024 Location: Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre, Kingston, Jamaica url: https://www.jamaicaobserver. com/2024/02/22/overloadtransfer- mentally-ill-prisoners-spanish-town- tower-street-putting-pressure-system/ 9 | NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS The Daily Monitor Friday, October 16, 2026 www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM PHOTOGRAPH 3 The conditions of long-term psychiatric care Caption: John Watson* leads a group in stretching exercise before lunch Photographer: Corey Robinson Source: The Jamaica Gleaner Headline: Left behind: Inside Bellevue’s ward for Jamaica’s forgotten patients A photograph from a report on long-term patients at Bellevue Hospital illustrates the institutional environment in which people with mental illness receive care. Date: March 8, 2026 Location: Bellevue Hospital, Kingston, Jamaica url: https://web4.jamaica-gleaner.com/ article/news/20260308/left-behind-inside- bellevues-ward-jamaicas-forgotten-patients
4TASK FOUR The Daily Monitor www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM Friday, October 16, 2026 NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS | 10 It raises awareness of stigma and discrimination. The video helps viewers understand the myths and negative attitudes surrounding mental illness. It encourages citizens to question harmful stereotypes and recognise that people living with mental health conditions deserve understanding and fair treatment. This is evident when Buchanan explains her mission to “sensitise people and destigmatise the way people view and treat mental health conditions”. She further emphasises the need for equal treatment by noting that “the same rule which applies to breast cancer also applies to mental health”. These statements help viewers recognise that mental health conditions deserve the same seriousness, care and respect as other medical conditions. THREE REASONS THE VIDEO IS USEFUL AS A LEARNING AID 1 VIDEOVIDEO showcasing the challenges of the mentally ill Selected video: “Mental health deeply personal for Suzette Buchanan” Source: Jamaica Gleaner, Multimedia Date published: March 10, 2026 Duration: 24 minutes, 43 seconds Location: Jamaica, featuring Bellevue Hospital and its chief executive officer URL: https://videos. jamaica-gleaner.com/videos/ Jamaica Gleaner News Online
11 | NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS The Daily Monitor Friday, October 16, 2026 www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM This scrapbook highlights the urgent need to change how Jamaica treats its most vulnerable citizens. For too long, individuals living with psychiatric conditions have faced severe social exclusion, unfair stigma, and systemic human rights violations across both the healthcare and justice systems. Moving forward, the state must actively invest in modern facilities, update its legal frameworks, and support local community care to bring these individuals out of the shadows. Jamaica must protect the rights of people living with mental illness by improving access to treatment, ending discrimination and ensuring humane care. As the World Health Organization (WHO) reminds us, “there is no health without mental health (WHO, 2023).” CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION 3 It encourages informed discussion and social responsibility. The video can stimulate classroom discussions about the rights of people living with mental illness and the responsibility of citizens, communities and the Government to protect those rights. Buchanan stresses the importance of collective responsibility, stating that “those with mental health issues require collaboration. It takes a village, the collaborative work of a community, to be healthy”. She also reminds viewers that advocacy begins with everyday actions, emphasising the importance of “giving kind words and respect. Those things help your mental health”. These messages encourage citizens to challenge discrimination, treat vulnerable people with dignity and contribute to a more supportive society. It creates empathy through real-life experiences. By sharing the experiences of Bellevue Hospital’s chief executive officer, the video helps viewers connect with the human side of mental illness. Buchanan reveals her personal connection to the issue, explaining, “My daughter was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 13 years ago”. Reflecting on the stigma surrounding mental health in Jamaica, she explains that she decided it was time to “put on my boots and big-woman clothes and get to work”. She also shares that her daughter is now “living a healthy life”, offering hope to other families facing similar challenges. Her statement, “I want to tell the story. And I want to be a part of the story”, de monstrates the importance of personal involvement in challenging stigma and supporting people affected by mental illness. 2
The Daily Monitor www.thedailymonitor.com | Twitter @DailyMonitorJM Friday, October 16, 2026 NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS | 12 5TASK FIVE Corey Robinson/Senior Staff Reporter. (2026, August 17). Tufton calls for law changes to tackle hospital ‘social cases’. Jamaica Gleaner. Jamaica-Gleaner.Com. http://jamaica-gleaner. com/article/news/20260817/tufton-calls-law-changes-tackle-hospital-social-cases Daily News. (2026). Bellevue Mental Health · National Library of Jamaica Digital Collection. Nlj. Gov.Jm. https://nljdigital.nlj.gov.jm/items/show/3335 Dunkley-Willis, A. (2025, October 13). 5 Years, no progress. Jamaicaobserver.Com. https://www. jamaicaobserver.com/2025/10/13/5-years-no-progress/ JamaicaGleaner. (2016). Videos - Jamaica Gleaner News Online. Jamaica-Gleaner.Com. https:// videos.jamaica-gleaner.com/videos/ Ministry of Health and Wellness. (2026). Mental Health – Ministry of Health & Wellness, Jamaica. Www.Moh.Gov.Jm. https://www.moh.gov.jm/mental-health-wellness/Ministry of Health and Wellness Jamaica. (2019). Charter of Patients Rights – Ministry of Health & Wellness, Jamaica. Moh.Gov.Jm. https://www.moh.gov.jm/charter-of-patients-rights/ Ministry of Justice. (2024). 12_2011- The charter of fundamental rights and freedoms (constitutional amendment) act | laws of Jamaica. Moj.Gov.Jm. https://laws.moj.gov. jm/library/act-of-parliament/12-2011-the-charter-of-fundamental-rights-and-freedoms- constitutional-amendment-act photographer, B. A. D.-W. S. G. R. S. (2024, February 22). OVERLOAD! - Jamaica Observer. Www.Jamaicaobserver.Com. https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024/02/22/ overloadtransfer-mentally-ill-prisoners-spanish-town-tower-street-putting-pressure- system/ Robinson, C. (2026, March 8). Left behind: Inside Bellevue’s ward for Jamaica’s forgotten patients. Jamaica Gleaner. Jamaica-Gleaner.Com. http://web4.jamaica-gleaner.com/article/ news/20260308/left-behind-inside-bellevues-ward-jamaicas-forgotten-patients Stock Image. (2022, February 15). Jamaica’s strategies to destigmatise mental illness – Jamaica information service. Jis.Gov.Jm. https://jis.gov.jm/information/get-the-facts/jamaicas- strategies-to-destigmatise-mental-illness/ WHO. (2023). Mental health. Www.Who.Int. https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/mental- health BIBLIOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHY