Introduction
Societal discipline toward providing health and wellness programs for jailed persons in correctional institutions has grown recently. This increased knowledge shows the necessity to study prison complications and their consequences on convicts. The purpose of this literature review is to provide the findings from 10 carefully selected academic sources on prison conditions and inmates’ mental and physical health. Our goal in analyzing these scholarly works is to find common ground between contradictory viewpoints in literature and discover the researchers’ methodological approaches, demonstrating the phenomenon’s complexity. A primary study topic in the reviewed work is comparing US and Norwegian jail systems. Different jail reform techniques affect prisoner health. A study on the effectiveness of wellness programs in correctional institutions adds to the knowledge of prospective treatments to enhance prisoners’ lives (Clouse et al., 2012). However, studies on the psychological effects of imprisonment and post-prison adjustment highlight the need to treat mental health requirements in prisons. This literature review examines common and contentious themes and provides a well-considered understanding of prison conditions and prisoner health studies. We want to integrate this synthesis into the existing conversation and provide a framework for future research on inclusive prison health and wellbeing.
Problem Statement
Since jail environment and prisoner health are becoming more critical in correctional institutions, evaluating existing material remains challenging. Although academic articles provide different perspectives and approaches, there is a need to establish findings that shed light on the many concerns and challenges prisoners experience. Prison circumstances and prisoners he takes literature gives a complex environment with several perspectives and methods. These ten research articles range from jail system comparisons to wellness program efficacy studies. Finally, a complicated picture indicates a delicate balance between prison circumstances and convicts’ health and well-being wellbeing. Everyone’s literature agrees that incarcerated prisoners’ health must be prioritized. Ahalt et al. (2020) found that reforms that focus on inmates’ health and wellbeing improve outcomes in prison and allow them to reenter society. (Clouse et al., 2012). Particular wellness treatments may enhance prisoners’ health, proving the usefulness of prison programs encouraging physical activity and quality of life.
Thesis Statement
The research agrees that prisoner health care is an essential correctional policy and practice despite variances in emphasis and technique (Mannocci et al., 2018). This shared purpose promotes the reconvicts wellbeing and reduces imprisonment’s negative effects on physical and mental health. However, the evidence suggests disputes about intervention efficacy and correctional resource distribution. This review will expand on these commonalities and differences to suggest further study. Iterating insights from diverse academic sources helps us understand why convicts cannot maintain their health in jails and contribute to evidence-based corrections procedures and regulations.
Synthesis
The ten articles chosen for the literature study reveal a highly complicated relationship between jail circumstances and inmates’ health and wellbeing. Every piece has a unique perspective and method, but similar elements show the importance of meeting prisoners’ complex demands in correctional facilities. (Henning, 2022) Literature about jail circumstances addresses prisoners’ health issues, prison reform methods, and their effects on convicts are examined. The critical result of the analysis of the US and Norwegian prison systems is that prison reform measures must prioritize health and welfare (Ahalt et al., 2020). Henning’s Canadian analysis of prisoners’ physical and mental health highlights the unique health issues inmates face around the world and the need for targeted intervention programs to meet their medical needs. Wellness programs’ role in prisoner safety is another literary topic. Clouse et al. (2012) and Mannocci et al. (2018) examine the efficacy of wellness efforts in correctional institutions and the benefits of focused treatments on inmates’ wellbeing. Clouse et al.’s study of a prison-based wellness program examines its feasibility and potential to improve inmates’ health and wellness. In contrast, Mannocci et al.’s multicenter observational study shows that health-related quality of life and physical activity are positively correlated.
This Literature Review also examines the psychological effects of imprisonment and reintegration challenges following release. (Haney, 2003) studies the psychological consequences of incarceration on re-entry and the relevance of mental health during and after jail. Haney’s analysis of the mental state in prison makes the reader think of better ways to provide psychological help to avoid life-threatening consequences. At the same time, Merten et al.’s research on prisoner health and life valuation expands knowledge by focusing on social factors. The literature also examines the link between prison and public health, urging society to appreciate the benefits of enhancing convicts’ health (Jacobi, 2005).
Moreover, D’angelo et al. (2018) have studied prisoner health responsibilities and possibilities in public health. Jacobi’s ‘Health in Prisons’ research highlights prisoner health’s impact on public health, while D’Angelo et al.’s ‘Occupational Health in Prisons’ study shows how inmate and staff health are linked. The study summary emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive jail environment and prisoner wellbeing metrics. Decision makers and correctional services workers can improve incarcerated individuals and communities through healthcare delivery enhancement, wellness initiatives promotion, and mental health treatment for inmates and officers.
The physical and mental health of inmates has been extensively explored, but prison circumstances and correctional staff have not (Bierie, 2012). The study suggests prioritizing staff and prisoner wellbeing as part of a systematic approach to inmate care. Bierie’s study emphasizes the need to address worker wellbeing holistically. This improves our understanding of correctional facility dynamics. It supports policies and actions that improve prisoner and staff health. Anno (1997) studies health behavior in jails and penal facilities. Therefore, jailed persons have distinct health concerns. The chapter stresses the need for health education tailored to this population’s requirements. Anno’s study on correctional health practices reveals ways to enhance convicts’ health and wellbeing (Anno, 1997). Future research should create alternative strategies to address the many issues encountered by correctional facility prisoners, supporting holistic approaches that improve health and wellbeing. Wellness programs and health promotion measures that improve convict health must be studied extensively in the future. In addition, the long-term impacts of jail conditions on prisoners and staff and the interpersonal repercussions of addressing prison health must be considered. Filling knowledge gaps is crucial because it will enable evidence-based procedures and policies that empower correctional services to care for inmates.
Conclusion
The rich tapestry of jail circumstances and prisoner health literature suggests a comprehensive approach to prisons’ complicated issues. Diverse solutions prioritize improving healthcare services, introducing wellness programs, and addressing the mental health needs of offenders and correctional personnel. Despite this contradiction, the success of specific therapies and resource allocation in correctional systems need more attention and knowledge of the issue’s complexity. Future work may target unusual policies, develop a custom wellness system, and assess the long-term health effects of jail. Promoting prisoner and correctional officer welfare initiatives should never be disregarded. Continuing the literature may improve knowledge and offer a platform for research-based policies and practices.
References
Ahalt, C., Haney, C., Ekhaugen, K., & Williams, B. (2020). Role of a US–Norway exchange in placing health and wellbeing at the center of US prison reform. American Journal of Public Health, 110(S1), S27-S29.
Anno, B. J. (1997). Health behavior in prisons and correctional facilities. In Handbook of Health Behavior Research III: Demography, development, and Diversity (pp. 289–303). Boston, MA: Springer US.
Bierie, D. M. (2012). The impact of prison conditions on staff wellbeing. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 56(1), 81-95.
Clouse, M. L., Mannino, D., & Curd, P. R. (2012). Investigation of the correlates and effectiveness of a prison-based wellness program. Journal of Correctional Health Care, 18(3), 184-197.
D’angelo, C., Gozzoli, C., Gazzaroli, D., & Mezzanotte, D. (2018). Experiences and consequences on prison police’s wellbeing. World Futures, 74(6), 360-378.
Haney, C. (2003). The psychological impact of incarceration: Implications for post-prison adjustment. Prisoners once removed: The impact of incarceration and re-entry on children, families, and communities, pp. 33, 66.
Henning, C. (2022). The Physical and Mental Health of Incarcerated Persons: A Canadian Perspective. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research at Trent, 3(1), 1–17.
Jacobi, J. V. (2005). Prison health, public health: obligations and opportunities. American journal of law & medicine, 31(4), 447-478.
Mannocci, A., Mipatrini, D., D’Egidio, V., Rizzo, J., Meggiolaro, S., Firenze, A. … & Masala, D. (2018). Health-related quality of life and physical activity in prison: a multicenter observational study in Italy. The European Journal of Public Health, 28(3), 570-576.
Merten, M. J., Bishop, A. J., & Williams, A. L. (2012). Prisoner health and valuation of life, loneliness, and depressed mood. American journal of health behavior, 36(2), 275–288.
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