New report reveals shocking state of prisoner health. Here’s what needs to be done
In summary
Analysis for The Conversation by Dean, School of Health Sciences Distinguished Professor James Ogloff
A new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report on the health of people in Australian prisons makes for sobering reading.
It reveals that compared to the general population, people in prison have higher rates of mental health conditions, chronic disease, communicable disease, and acquired brain injury. This is despite the fact the prison population is relatively young.
This is a problem for everyone. Research shows mental health intervention and engagement helps reduce offending among offenders with serious mental illness.
Good health care in prisons, with continuity of community health care upon release, not only helps the person being treated. It also helps the community through reduced levels of offending.
The new report
Data were collected in 2022 from 371 people entering prison during a given two-week period, and 431 who were due to be released during the data collection period or in the following four weeks. The report includes information drawn from 73 of 87 prisons across Australia (excluding Victoria, which didn’t participate in the survey this year).
The researchers also collected data from 4,500 people who visited the prison health clinic and another 7,100 people who received medications while in prison.