Mr. Michael Donnellan:

The ultimate risk is mortality, which is to say the risk of death posed by untreated people to themselves and to their fellow prisoners. There are also risks to our staff who have to deal with acutely mentally unwell people and manage them to ensure they have their food, recreation and exercise and attend all necessary sessions. Some prisoners may be acutely unwell. The minute one opens their cell doors, the violence that emanates from the room is enormous. Prison officers are managing this on a daily basis.