MI-Business (Free-2): Prison Is the First Mental Health Visit for Many in Spain

Spain has one of the highest incarceration rates in Europe, with 160 individuals imprisoned per 100,000 residents. In 2020, 43,494 people were incarcerated in facilities not managed by regional health authorities — essentially all regions except Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Navarra. Among them, at least 1785 had significant mental health care needs, underscoring the urgent need for a more integrated, preventive, and humane approach in coordination with public health services.