Issues in Correctional Health

This book focuses on the difficulties that medical and health care providers, correctional administrators, and policy makers face in delivering care to incarcerated juveniles and adults. Sometimes the demands on these practitioners can be overwhelming. Each year in the United States thousands of infants are born behind bars, and at least 3,000 inmates will die in state prisons alone. Practitioners confront an array of serious health care problems, from providing emergency care, preventing the spread of communicable diseases, managing chronic illnesses, and preparing for pandemics. A significant concern is that inmates with untreated health problems pose a significant challenge to community health. Over 14 million arrestees cycle through juvenile facilities or county jails, and some 650,000 persons are released from prison each year. As a result, there has been increased attention focusing on the connections between correctional and community health. The contributors to this volume examine these challenges, highlight successful medical and health care programs, and outline an agenda for future research.