The Survey of European Countries Examining Work with, and Attitudes to, People with a Mentally Ill Being Seen by Probation Services

There is a high prevalence of mental illness in probation including suicide. It is important for probation staff to recognise mental illness and to refer on to an appropriate agency once it is detected. Probation’s staff knowledge about mental illness was therefore examined across Europe in this study using a well validated measure—the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS). Response rates within services and countries varied widely from 0–74%. Scores on the MHLS also varied considerably from 114–148 with an average score of 128. This overall average score is similar to other groups of the population, such as university students and the clergy. There was a strong association between knowledge and confidence in working with people with a mental illness. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.