For over four years, I have been fortunate to work on the intersection of ADHD and the criminal justice system (CJS) at Takeda, engaging with parliamentarians, clinicians, and policymakers to better understand the barriers faced by individuals with ADHD in prisons.
Over this time, we have seen real progress in recognising the needs of neurodiverse people in the CJS. The publication of the Neurodiversity Action Plan in 2023 was a milestone in progressing action on neurodiversity in prisons and I have been encouraged by the recent publication of the ADHD Taskforce’s reports and recommendations, which mark a pivotal moment in recognising the need for support across key areas – including unmet need in the CJS.
While recognition of the needs of neurodiverse individuals in prisons has improved, there is much further to go.
The Neurodiversity Action Plan and the ADHD Taskforce’s reports marked important steps in raising awareness and setting commitments. But reports and recommendations alone are not enough – we now need to see government translate those commitments into action.
This is not only a matter of fairness for neurodiverse people but also essential if we are to reduce reoffending rates and bring down the prison population, particularly for women.
The case for focusing on the needs of neurodiverse women is especially compelling. Women with ADHD have distinct experiences, which are too often overlooked, and must be considered in the CJS.
Many women who are sent to prison serve short sentences for low-level offences, such as shoplifting, or are held on remand only to be released without a prison sentence. Women with ADHD may also face further hurdles once in prison. They are at higher risk of self-harm, for example, an issue that is far more prevalent in women’s prisons as compared to men’s. A 2016 study showed that 41 per cent of women in UK prisons meet the criteria for ADHD, yet few are properly assessed or treated. These barriers don’t just affect individual women – they ripple outwards to families and communities.
That is why at Takeda, we have recently launched A Personal Sentence, our new campaign highlighting the voices and experiences of women with ADHD in the justice system.
I am proud of this work because it does not just present the data – it tells the real stories behind the statistics. It shows how misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis and unmet health needs fuel cycles of disadvantage, and it challenges the system to look at women with ADHD not simply as offenders, but as individuals with unique and addressable needs.
Complementing this campaign is our most recent report, Reforming Justice: Tackling the Unseen Challenge of ADHD in the Criminal Justice System, which sets out three clear policy areas where the government can make meaningful progress during this parliament.
We were particularly encouraged that the ADHD Taskforce’s reports highlighted the importance of upskilling staff on neurodiversity, as we believe one of the most powerful levers to improve support remains staff training. The people who work in prisons – officers, healthcare workers, educators – are the ones who interact with women day in, day out.
Yet too often, signs of ADHD go unrecognised. With the right training, staff could spot needs relating to an individual’s neurodivergence more easily, make timely referrals for assessment and adjust their approach to communication and support. This could be transformative for neurodivergent women in prisons: it could enable rehabilitation programmes that feel accessible rather than alienating, interactions with staff that are supportive rather than confrontational and pathways to treatment that could reduce reoffending once women return home.
Indeed, a study in Sweden has shown just how powerful this can be: when ADHD was identified and managed appropriately, rates of criminality fell sharply – 32 per cent for men and 41 per cent for women.
And the benefits go beyond the individual. Many women in prison are also mothers and primary carers, and criminal justice organisations have long underlined the significance of incarcerating such people. Supporting them more effectively doesn’t just help them – it protects their families too.
With the right support in place, their children may be less likely to face the disruption, trauma, or cycles of disadvantage that can come from maternal incarceration. Investing in training today could support families to stay together, communities to thrive and for the justice system to work more fairly and effectively.
The crisis in our prisons demands innovative thinking and bold policy action. With a reforming Prisons Minister in Lord Timpson and the Women’s Justice Board considering a strategy to reduce the female prison population this year, there is a real opportunity to ensure the needs of neurodivergent women are addressed through policy intervention.
Our campaign makes clear that with the right structures and political will, there is potential to reduce recidivism, lower public costs and support women to rebuild lives. As someone who has spent years engaging with ADHD in the criminal justice system, I feel both encouraged by the progress we are beginning to see and energised by what is possible if we act now.
This is a moment to harness evidence, policy momentum and lived experience to ensure women with ADHD in prison are not overlooked but supported. The challenge is clear, the evidence is compelling and the potential for change is extraordinary.
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