Developing a Measure of the Quality of Life in Detention

Abstract

In this article we describe emerging findings from the first national study of life in detention, a survey measure on Quality of Life in Detention, designed and tested between November 2009-June 2011.

Over the past ten years, the size of the immigration detention population in the UK has grown steadily. Though small in proportion to the numbers in prison, the sum of people in detention has expanded from a capacity of 250 in 1993 to more than 10 times that number today (Bacon 2005; Home Office 2012). Most detainees are held in one of ten Immigration Removal Centres, with about 100 individuals placed in short term holding facilities at ports. These removal centres are typically located in the South of the country near Gatwick and Heathrow airports, although there is one centre in Scotland, IRC Dungavel.

Keywords: Measure of Quality of Life in Detention, Immigration Detention, Mental health, UK