In 2004, the Bureau of Justice Statistics provided inmates in both state and federal prisons with a survey related to their health concerns (Maruschak, 2004). Overall, the surveys purpose was to discover how many prisoners, since being incarcerated, developed or reported particular health concerns including injuries and dental issues (Maruschak, 2004). The survey also took into account the prisoners age, and gender (Maruschak, 2004). The number of prisoners for both state and federal facilities had a significant amount of medical issues reported. There was approximately 44% for state prisoners and 39% for federal prisoners (Maruschak, 2004). A fair amount of state and federal inmates also reported a physical or mental impairment, 36% …show more content…
Injuries reported in both state and federal prisons both showed a greater propensity to report it as an accident rather than an assault (Maruschak, 2004). When it comes to receiving medical attention in prison, nearly all inmates stated they had, at a minimum been questioned by staff, concerning any health issues while being processed into the facility (Maruschak, 2004). More specifically, the majority of inmates have received a medical exam, including a blood, TB, or HIV test while nearly three quarters of inmates were cared for by a professional (Maruschak, 2004). A higher percentage of prisoners stated they seen a professional for dental issues and injuries received since being incarcerated (Maruschak, 2004). Some females are pregnant when placed in prison and overall had higher complaints of medical issues than males. For the females that are pregnant, almost all stated receiving an obstetric exam and over half revealed they were afforded some type of medical service concerning their pregnancy (Maruschak, 2004). It’s important to cover some the history and legal aspects of health care in prisons. The Geneva Convention of 1929 set a foundation for medical services of prisoners (Shalit & Lewin, 2004). There are also institutions such as the Red Cross and Amnesty International that influence medical services for prisoners (Shalit & Lewin, 2004). Our prisoners are protected under the 8th Amendment to the
There are also issues with the policies of prisons and medical confidentiality. Inmates are forced to be examined
Inmates, while incarcerated, receive better medical care than most citizens in the United States. According to a 2008-2009 report done by the Legislature Analyst Office, it costs California over twelve thousand four -hundred and forty-two dollars per inmate for health care each year, which includes medical care, psychiatric services, pharmaceuticals, and dental care (page 2). Prisoner F received a lifesaving surgery that cost over two-hundred fifty thousand dollars. The only prison affiliated contact prisoner F had while in the hospital was the fact that he had a chained ankle bracelet which had him handcuffed to the hospital bed. Just as they receive the best medical care in the United States, they are also known to have many luxuries which hard
We have prisons all over the United States that are overpopulated and this can lead to many problems. While being incarcerated for a crime, all inmates have the right to proper health care. When a person who is in prison gets sick, they do not have the liberty to make an appointment with a doctor, go to the emergency room, or even run down to the local pharmacy to get some over the counter medications. Inmates are solely at the hands of medical
Many advocates are fighting for improved medical care. It is improving slowly but surely. For example, many prisons started new counseling and education programs for HIV/ AIDS. Lawsuits and grievances are filed against prisons that are careless. The best strategy for change to occur is by having the media involved. “Lawsuits and Media go hand and hand,” Law stated. For example in Wisconsin, anonymous female prisoners called a Milwaukee newspaper to report medical negligence that led to an inmate’s death (Law, 2009). This phone call gave attention to this problem. Laws were passes to train medical personnel and for improved medical records.
The Medicines Act 1968:- The Medicines Act controls the manufacture and supply of medicines for human and veterinary use. The act defines three categories of the supply of drugs; Prescription only medicines, Pharmacy Medicine, and General sales list medicines the act controls
The Bureau of Prisons carefully lists the inmate’s health care rights and the inmate’s responsibilities in order have access those rights. In the Federal Correction Institution at Terminal Island, California the Inmate Information Handbook lists out the specific rights to health care access each inmate has and then the handbook lists the inmate’s responsibility to be able to access the health care. An example is the inmate has the right to access all services on Terminal Island including medical, dental, and all support services but the
would still need a consent from their treating doctor and a record of inmate’s medical history. Inmates who aren’t being treated well in prison would be transferred to hospitals for proper treatment (Reed and Lyne, 2000).
In a literature review examining the effects of prison treatment on the mental health of mentally ill prisoners, Haney (2001) argues that since prison has increasingly become a place of severe punishment rather rehabilitation, mental illnesses become exacerbated. He urges that with proper knowledge of the psychological trauma imposed on prisoners, prison officials and mental health experts can
Within our prison system, an estimated 44% (forty-four percent) of state inmates and 39% (thirty-nine percent) of federal inmates have a medical issue that is beyond the common cough or cold (Maruschak, 2004). Although these inmates reported illnesses, there is likely a much higher percentage of inmates with some sort of ailment but they don’t report it for a multitude of reasons.
Many incarcerated persons have limited access to healthcare. Correctional facilities afford undergraduate nursing students an opportunity to deliver care to a diverse population with complex health issues that may not otherwise access the health care system.
The unit of analysis studied in Poole and Regoli’s (1980) experiment consist of 450 male inmates housed in the medium security prison. Of those 450 inmates, a random sample of 225 inmates were drawn from the population. Unfortunately, the sample downsized due to inmates’ refusal to participate and other miscellaneous reasons which resulted in a sample size of 198 inmates but 182 completed the survey. The researchers utilized self-reported surveys as a means of data collection therefore, the research design would be a retrospective study since it required inmates to report each infraction committed in prison within the past month. The survey was administered by matching questionnaires with the official institutional records for each inmate.
Clinical research including prisoners as human focuses might be an essential project. Prisoners are categorized by their difficult situations, deprived health status, and by the occurrence of many difficulties meaningfully higher amongst them than amongst non-prisoners. Some of these difficulties are believed to be connected with criminal conducts. Imprisonment may in some means influence the sequence of these difficulties, including the consequence of their treatment or interference. Prisoners started to be involved in clinical research since the 19th century without their consent. Research may produce valuable evidence about the nature of the health as well as well-being of people who are imprisoned, and possibly lead to a fuller thoughtful
basic medical care for inmates. It is questioned if private prisons enhance the quality of
The difference between the normal budgeting and prison budgeting for health care makes a logical case in this essay. However, the inscribing of health care issues into the prison environment provides an opportunity to assess how the different settings approach the same issues and a chance to recommend methods of increasing health care awareness and viability in Canadian Prisons.
“…all too often, corrections simply has become a last-resort caregiver and we are left to deal with the many concerns society has chosen to ignore, shifting responsibility to the government - in this case, corrections” (Gondles, 2000). Universal health care is a not an attribute of the United States. While health care plans are widely allotted by employers and various private organizations, not everyone has access to these privileges. Obviously, if these uninsured individuals have health issues while in society, their issues will not disappear once they are arrested. Therefore, within the corrections system, individuals with unhandled issues are held, furthermore unable to access care. On the