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This article explores how, in 1784 New Orleans, Cecilia Conway—a recaptured maroon woman—asserted that she was pregnant and thereby leveraged the power of her reproductive labor. Her claims about her body briefly slowed down the system of capital punishment activated in response to her marronage by altering the trajectory of the state-sanctioned sexual violence inflicted on her. The conversations between Cecilia and the prison's authorities that this article unearths constitute an original archive of Cecilia's assertions while accounting for their heavily mediated and yet remarkable presence. By centering the details of Cecilia's life, this article helps recast the threat of marronage in colonial Louisiana from simply one of male-led armed rebellion to one of reproduction, thorny kinship networks, and a potential maroon society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although risk factors for recidivism were extensively studied, re-incarcerations still account for a disproportionate amount of overall service use and cost. Therefore, the main objectives of the study were (1) to estimate the prevalence of re-incarcerations in a sample of male incarcerated people and (2) to verify if some socio-demographic and clinical features including impulsivity can be risk factors of re-incarceration. We conducted a cross-sectional study recruiting 479 newly arrived incarcerated people in an Italian detention centre, between 2018 and 2022. The incarcerated individuals were interviewed to collect clinical information. Impulsivity was assessed by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). A total of 479 consecutive male incarcerated people was included. Two hundred and seventy-six of them (57.6%) had previously been incarcerated. Logistic regression analysis showed that having higher age, to be married or in relationship, to have low-medium level of education, housing instability, low or no income, cocaine use disorder in the last year and a history of non-suicidal self-injuries increased the likelihood of recurrent incarcerations. Moreover, re-incarceration was associated with higher rate of personality disorders and higher scores on attentional and motor impulsivity. Reintegration programs should address some risk factors associated with re-incarceration and promote social rehabilitation among incarcerated individuals. High rates of reincarceration among prisoners are associated with important economic burden. We investigated sociodemographic and clinical predictors of reincarceration. Some modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors increase the likelihood of repeat incarcerations. Some specific domains of impulsivity may be associated with higher risk of reincarceration. The results indicate the need to implement specific interventions to reduce reincarceration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults are the fastest growing age sub-group in prison. Prison, health and social work staff are required to provide support for complex health and social care issues including Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Dementia care for those living in the community is a national priority. There is, however, a lack of empirical evidence regarding service provision for those living in prison. This study was the first national survey of England and Wales to establish current service provision. Questionnaires were distributed to heads of healthcare and governors of all prisons in England and Wales. Our response rate was 85 (78%) for governors and 77 (71%) for healthcare managers. Reported prevalence of dementia/MCI from respondents was well below prevalence estimates from research. Furthermore, only 23 prisons (30%) had routine screening, and the majority reported that they did not have a defined care pathway (53; 69%) for dementia/MCI. Overall, the provision of services for those experiencing symptoms of dementia and MCI in prison is sub-optimal; however, many respondents reported aspirations to enhance services for this group. The forthcoming Ministry of Justice's national strategy for ageing prisons should include recommended care pathways for dementia and MCI to strive towards equivalence of care to community settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug use is common among people who live in prisons (PWLP) worldwide. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the prevalence of drug use among PWLP in Iran. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, as well as Farsi-language databases including Iran Psych Magiran, IranMedex, Scientific Information Database (SID), and Irandoc for studies published from January 2003 to January 2021. We included studies that reported the prevalence of drug use among PWLP. We performed a random-effects meta-analysis to pool prevalence estimates. Point estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported. Among 1107 publications and reports screened, 16 studies reported the prevalence of drug use and were included. The pooled prevalence of lifetime non-injection drug use was 73.8% (95% CI 70.9, 76.6). The pooled prevalence of lifetime injection drug use was 16.0% (12.6, 19.7). Needle/syringe sharing among those with a lifetime injection drug use history was 14.0% (6.4, 24.0). Non-injection and injection drug use was found to be prevalent among PWLP in Iran. Continued evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, and treatment programs should address drug use among this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Women carry a substantial burden of psychiatric, somatic and lifestyle-related morbidity in the prison context. By describing causes of death and estimating the risk and burden of mortality compared with the general population, this study investigates how mortality operates in this highly marginalized and under-researched population. Methods In this registry-based study of all women incarcerated in Norwegian prisons from 2000 to 2019 (N  = 11 313), we calculated crude mortality rates, years of lost life and, by using mortality in age-matched women from the general population as a reference, age-standardized mortality ratios and years of lost life rates. Results Over a mean follow-up time of 10.7 years, at a median age of 50 years, 9% of the population had died (n  = 1005). Most deaths (80%) were premature deaths from an avoidable cause. Drug-induced causes and deaths from major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were most frequent (both 32%). Compared with women in the general population, women with a history of incarceration were more likely to die from any cause. Trends in annual age-standardized years of lost life rates suggest that the mortality burden associated with major NCDs has gradually replaced drug-induced causes. Conclusions Women with a history of incarceration die at a greater rate than their peers and largely from avoidable causes. The profile of causes contributing to the substantial burden of mortality placed on this population has changed over time and has important implications for future efforts to reduce morbidity and the risk of premature death following release from prison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Researchers have consistently found higher rates of mental illnesses, especially depression, in prison populations compared to the general population. Even though specific coping strategies have been implicated as a factor influencing the mental well-being of inmates, little is known about this interplay in resource-poor settings. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between coping strategies and depression among inmates of a prison in Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: This was a two-stage cross-sectional study involving 269 inmates of Calabar Prison, Nigeria. Participants were administered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Coping Strategies Inventory-Short Form, and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Respondents who scored =3 on the GHQ-12 together with 10% of low scorers proceeded to the second stage for an interview using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Results: The prevalence of depression among study participants was 30.5%. Emotion-focused disengagement coping strategies (odds ratio [OR]: 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.20) and a history of mental illness before imprisonment (OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.34-8.57) significantly predicted depression, whereas problem-focused engagement was protective (OR: 1.92, 95% CI: 0.86-0.98). Conclusion: Compared to the general population, depression is more common among prison inmates and is associated with using specific coping strategies. Coping strategies deserve increasing consideration when planning mental health intervention programs for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive effects of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) frameworks have been reported in juvenile justice facilities but have not yet been extended to adult prisons. As part of initial PBIS development in a large prison in the United Kingdom, this study utilized focus groups to investigate the valued outcomes considered most important to prison officers and prisoners. We found that although prisoners and staff largely shared the same values, there were meaningful differences in their relative priorities, reflecting the disparate roles that each play in the functioning of the prison. Focus groups also revealed possible contextual barriers to PBIS implementation in this setting. We conclude that input from both parties is essential in designing values-based support strategies that are aligned across key stakeholders. We discuss how focus groups might inform PBIS intervention planning and how our findings point to specific research gaps in applying PBIS in adult prisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: International studies show that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice and forensic mental health systems; however, it is difficult to capture their involvement across systems in any one jurisdiction. Aims: The current study aimed to estimate the prevalence of IDD across different parts of the criminal justice and forensic mental health systems in Ontario and to describe the demographic and clinical profiles of these individuals relative to their counterparts without IDD. Methods: This project utilised administrative data to identify and describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of adults with IDD and criminal justice or forensic involvement across four sectors: federal correctional facilities, provincial correctional facilities, forensic inpatient mental health care and community mental health programmes. Questions were driven by and results were contextualised by a project advisory group and people with lived experience from the different sectors studied, resulting in a series of recommendations. Results: Adults with IDD were over‐represented in each of the four settings, ranging from 2.1% in federal corrections to 16.7% in forensic inpatient care. Between 20% (forensic inpatient) and 38.4% (provincial corrections) were under the age of 25 and between 34.5% (forensic inpatient) and 41.8% (provincial corrections) resided in the lowest income neighbourhoods. Medical complexity and rates of co‐occurring mental health conditions were higher for people with IDD than those without IDD in federal and provincial corrections. Conclusions: Establishing a population‐based understanding of people with IDD within these sectors is an essential first step towards understanding and addressing service and care needs. Building on the perspectives of people who work in and use these systems, this paper concludes with intervention recommendations before, during and after justice involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are no mandatory national standards for custodial suicide prevention and response programs in the United States. While some professional organizations do offer accreditation, those programs are optional. Recent research on jails found that most facilities have formal suicide prevention policies, but they differ in their comprehensiveness. Little is known about the elements of state and federal prison suicide prevention policies. This study involves an analysis of state- and federal-level department of corrections suicide prevention and response policies. Elements of each jurisdiction's policies were compared against a list of best practices, developed by professional organizations and correctional suicide scholars, for suicide prevention and response. Results revealed that, on average, department policies contain about half of the recommended elements, and that some policies, including those that could improve the culture of each institution, are not included in most departmental policy documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite existing international standards for the prison management of incarcerated trans people, carceral policies across Australian jurisdictions vary in their availability, breadth, and appropriateness. Trans populations in prison represent a vulnerable population, having specific needs surrounding their health, safety, and wellbeing. Prior reviews into Australian carceral policies highlight where contemporary prison practices fall short of meeting those specific needs. Aims/method: A review was conducted on the available carceral policy documents of each Australian correctional service regime, examining their coverage of issues including healthcare access, placement decisions, and classification systems against international standards and prior Australian recommendations. Forty-one relevant policy documents were reviewed against eighteen benchmark recommendations, along with supplementary data. Results: Australian jurisdictions varied widely on the coverage of the reviewed areas. Benchmark attainment ranged from twelve out of eighteen (Victoria and Western Australia) to three out of eighteen (Queensland). The use of administrative segregation was identified as the area in most need of policy reform. No jurisdiction met every benchmark. Conclusions: This review highlights the need for carceral policy reform across Australian jurisdictions in order to meet the unique needs of incarcerated trans people, especially in the areas of administrative segregation and healthcare access. The review also highlights the need for carceral policy reform to bring Australian jurisdictions in line with each other on the management of incarcerated trans people, to reduce disparate outcomes across states and territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only about 21% of adult inmates in Jamaica participate in formal rehabilitation programmes.1 As such, the government has taken steps to make in-prison rehabilitation mandatory. By drawing on interviews with 73 formerly incarcerated persons, this article explores the viability and practicability of mandatory in-prison rehabilitation. The evidence suggests that if made mandatory, in-prison rehabilitation may not support the effective reintegration of inmates who value agency. Coercion could also amplify change-resistant behaviours, and limited administrative capacity might also challenge the effective enforcement of the mandate. Towards achieving the effective reintegration of newly released persons and lowering the recidivism rate, the article proposes some correctional reforms which the Jamaican state can pursue in the absence of adequate capacity to implement mandatory in-prison rehabilitation. Such reforms include the need to bolster and enhance good governance systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although prior research documents a positive relationship between religious involvement and emotional well-being among incarcerated individuals, the salutary effect of religion on mental health remains in need of scientific scrutiny. To examine this understudied issue, we hypothesized that prisoner religiosity is positively associated with virtues, which are in turn inversely related to negative emotions. To test this hypothesis, we applied structural equation modeling to analyze data from a survey with a convenience sample of 139 males housed at a Colombian prison. As hypothesized, we found that both public (religious service attendance) and private religious behaviors (praying and reading a sacred book) were positively associated with the virtues of forgiveness, self-control, and gratitude. Additionally, we found that forgiveness and self-control were inversely related to state anger, depression, and anxiety. Finally, self-control was central in explaining the relationship between religious service attendance and state anger. Implications and limitations of the present findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dépôt of the Police Prefecture of Paris, in the heart of the city, was one of the most important places of anti-Jewish repression in France during the Occupation. It was the hub for the deportation of almost a third of the 38,500 deportees domiciled in Paris who were not arrested by the French police during the round-ups, but even more Jews passed through the dépôt without eventually being deported. These arrests were mostly based on the justification of offences committed by Jews against French laws and German orders. From mid-1942, the dépôt gradually evolved from a platform for sorting those arrested with a view to bringing them before a French judge to the main concentration and transfer point for Jews arrested individually to the Drancy internment camp. Yet, despite its importance, the dépôt remains completely unknown. The aim of this article is to present the central role played by the dépôt in the daily anti-Jewish repression that sealed French collaboration with Nazi genocidal policies until the Liberation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Monatsschrift fuer Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cancer is the leading cause of illness-related death in state prisons in the United States. The experiences of physicians providing oncological care to individuals experiencing incarceration are underexplored. The study aims were to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices of oncologists caring for cancer patients who are incarcerated. An online survey was distributed to a random sample of 150 oncologists from the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society for Radiation Oncology from July 2020 to December 2021. Statistical analyses included two proportion Z-test, Fisher's exact test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Cramer's V to estimate factors associated with attitudes and barriers to care. Of the 55 respondents (36.7% response rate), 21 were medical oncologists and 34 were radiation oncologists. Academic center oncologists were more likely to report caring for incarcerated patients than community or private practice oncologists (p = .04). Most (53%) incorrectly reported "heart disease" as the leading cause of death, as opposed to "cancer" (15% identified correctly). Oncologists practicing at both academic and community centers were more likely to report care coordination barriers than oncologists at academic or community centers (p < .01). We identified potential barriers in caring for incarcerated cancer patients. Future studies should explore ways to improve care coordination between oncology teams and prisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Ankara Haci Bayram Veli Universitesi Hukuk Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Lex Humana is the property of Lex Humana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Over 2 million people are currently incarcerated – the majority of whom are parents to minor children. The reentry process is often difficult for parents as they navigate reentry challenges such as finding housing and employment while also trying to develop and reestablish relationships with their children. Increased parent-child contact during incarceration is associated with improved incarceration and reentry outcomes for both the parents and their children. Using survey data from 252 parents exiting the prison system, this study uses structural equation modeling to examine predictors of parent-child contact during incarceration. Findings suggest incarcerated parents have higher levels of contact with their children when the parents had less exposure to childhood adversities such as parental incarceration, foster care, and group home placement. Mothers display higher levels of contact with children than fathers; similarly, younger parents display higher levels of contact than older, as do those who had recent contact in the month prior to incarceration compared to those who did not. These findings highlight specific factors and populations for practitioners to target to increase the level of parent-child contact during incarceration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreigners in prison and probation are formally protected by the same rights that are applicable to Italian citizens but official statistics actually offer a different panorama. In fact, no social bonding, scarce or no financial resources, the lack of a permanent domicile and of any regular work activity, heavily affect the access of foreigners to probation regimes. The most evident and direct consequence is that more foreigners are kept inside prison walls than in the probation regime, while an indirect and still understudied aspect is the high percentage of suicides among foreigners in prison. The authors, after presenting the main difficulties experienced by foreigners in accessing the Italian probation system, consider the possible link with the suicide rate, and underline the need for further specific research into this worrying topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A main goal of the Spanish National Counter-Terrorism Strategy is to improve the detection and control of inmates who may participate or collaborate with terrorist groups after release convicted and detained inmates linked to terrorist acts, as well as of those individuals involved, during their stay in prison, in violent extremist recruitment or indoctrination. This manuscript introduces an instrument for assessing the risk of violent jihadist radicalization in prisons, the Detention of Violent Jihadists Radicalization (DRAVY-3 for its Spanish initials). This instrument was built on tools already existing, a review of the literature, the experience of the prison staff, indicators suggested by researchers from two institutions, a field study conducted with Muslim inmates (jihadists and non-jihadists), and the results of six implementations of two preliminary versions. The DRAVY-3 was tested by evaluating 570 inmates from five groups (related to jihadist terrorism and controls). The analyses showed that the indicators are distributed into three scales: violence in general, violence of jihadist aetiology, and radicalism. Analyses also informed that a combination of indicators confirm an index of prediction of the level of danger. Results demonstrate the internal strength of the instrument and its capacity to detect potential radicalization leading to violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the early 2000s, Turkey's youth justice system has undergone extensive reforms. However, it is centred around high-security remand imprisonment. Based on the research conducted between 2014 and 2015 to comprehend how high-security remand imprisonment has acquired such a central role, this article provides an analysis on the ways in which the system has diverted into a peculiar 'managerialism'. Certain themes emerged revealing the turn to 'managerialism': (1) lack of coordination between different professional units and lack of evidence-based policymaking, (2) prioritization of speed and technology, (3) peripheral role of social work officials and (4) the importance of prisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on qualitative interviews with 51 incarcerated adult men and nine correctional officers in a Western Canadian prison system, we ask why some incarcerated people find it appealing to be placed on correctional boot camp units and what such appeals tell us about broader conditions of incarceration. Participants on three boot camp units drew on narratives relating to (a) extrinsic benefits, (b) discipline and structure, (c) teamwork and positive relationships, and (d) an opportunity for self-improvement to construct symbolic boundaries between "normal" units and boot camps, as well as their former self and their transformed current self. By drawing symbolic boundaries between the past and present and between other units and their boot camp unit, our participants create narratives that allow them to partially mitigate some pains of imprisonment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses a key political question regarding the relationship between states and their citizens: how harsh are judicial systems in their punishment of those who deviate from the law? Punitiveness is a fraught concept in the existing literature and robust measurement methods maximizing conceptual complexity are lacking. Here I develop a functional approach to punitiveness through a revised conceptualization and operationalization of this key variable while cautioning against the solitary use of incarceration rates to measure state intention. Punitiveness is conceptually disaggregated into three main components: (1) a commitment to punishment over rehabilitation, (2) the degree of harshness of response to crime (i.e., a longer sentence in prison), and (3) the lack of a logical progression of punishment based on the severity of crime committed or intent of the offender. These axes are further disaggregated into measurable indicators to build a novel index of punitiveness (P‐Index) from the legal codes of 26 countries. Ultimately, this rules‐as‐data measure offers researchers purchase on the puzzling variation in punitiveness across contexts, which persists regardless of current and historical crime levels, offering particular utility for supply‐side political‐economic explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Physical and verbal violence toward staff or other detained individuals is a reoccurring problem within correctional facilities. Screening for violence risk within the prison setting could provide a valuable first step in the prevention of institutional violence. The brief and compact Risk Screener Violence (RS-V) has shown to be an efficient new method for assessing concerns regarding post-release violent offending for incarcerated persons. This study aimed to find out whether the RS-V is also able to predict future violent and aggressive incidents during imprisonment. Methods: The predictive validity of the RS-V for future violent and aggressive incidents during a follow-up time of 4 months within prison was analyzed, using a file-based design. Violent incidents toward staff and other inmates (physical violence and violent threats), other aggressive incidents (aggression toward objects and verbal disruptive behavior), and both categories combined, were included as outcome measures based on disciplinary reports. Results: The RS-V showed medium to large predictive values for both violent and aggressive behavior during prison stay. In particular, good predictive values of the RS-V were found for violence toward prison staff. Discussion: This study shows that, besides post-release violent recidivism, the RS-V is able to accurately predict future violent and aggressive incidents during prison stay. By correctly differentiating between low concern and high concern individuals, the RS-V aims to contribute to more personalized interventions and risk management and, subsequently, to improved prison safety. Future studies using prospective prison practice data are needed to further support the validity of the RS-V regarding institutional violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review is the first to synthesize and critically evaluate the literature on the experience of posttraumatic growth (PTG) following imprisonment. It was conducted and reported in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for mixed methods systematic reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement. Five electronic databases were searched and the JBI meta-aggregate approach to data synthesis was employed. Four synthesized findings were developed from the 10 included studies: PTG following imprisonment is experienced as improved (1) self-perception, (2) relationships, (3) outlook on life, and (4) Facilitators of prison related PTG. Clinical implications call for increased engagement in the factors shown to facilitate PTG in custody. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) has been legal in Canada since 2016 and some incarcerated patients who are at the end of their lives are eligible for the procedure. Interviews with nine incarcerated men at a federal penitentiary in Canada provide insight into some of the ways that people who are navigating aging and end-of-life in prison think about MAiD. Interview themes are organized around: experience with death and dying; possibilities and barriers related to applications for release from prison at end-of-life; experiences of peer-caregiving in a prison palliative care program; support for MAiD and the expansion of eligibility criteria; what a good death looks like. Themes are contextualized alongside federal guidelines related to end-of-life care (EOLC) and MAiD for prisoners, highlighting that sound policy requires both generalizable principles and attention to nuance. MAiD rests on patient voluntariness, and thus autonomy over EOLC decisions is paramount for prisoners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The overall prevalence of gambling problems across prison populations is currently unknown. The objective of the present study was therefore to quantitatively synthetize prevalence estimates of gambling problems in prison populations using a random effects meta-analytic model and to investigate if the estimates were moderated by time frame, cut-off levels, and sample size. Methods: To be included the studies had to report original data on the prevalence of gambling problems in a prison sample and to be written in a European language, whereas data based on abstracts or qualitative reports were excluded. The search ended on December 1, 2023 and were conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, Cinahl, PsycINFO, Embase, Google Scholar, Grey Literature Report, and GreyNet. Risk of bias was assessed with a standardized 10-item measure for epidemiological studies. Results: A total of 26 studies comprising 9,491 participants were included. The vast majority of the participants were males. The most commonly used instrument for assessment of gambling problems was the South Oaks Gambling Screen. The pooled random-effects gambling problems prevalence estimate was 30.8% (95% CI 5 25.1-37.3). The meta-regression analysis showed that none of the three moderator variables (criteria, timeframe, sample size) were related to the gambling problems prevalence. Common limitations of the included studies entailed not being representative nationally or for the target population, lack of randomization, and low response rate. The meta-analysis was restricted to studies published in a European language. Conclusions: Overall, the studies show that 1 in 3 prisoners has gambling problems and suggests that more emphasis on relevant prevention and treatment is warranted for this population. The study was funded by the Norwegian Competence Center for Gambling and Gaming Research and pre-registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023390552). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How does the closure of prisons impact local communities where the prison is sited? The paper compares three prison closures in northern and central Kazakhstan through field observations, interviews, and focus groups at the sites. We find that respondents unanimously opposed closure by appealing to the apparent good performance of the prison. Beyond the economic loss incurred by closure, respondents reported a loss of communal identity, as well as prestige connected to the presence of the military at the colony. The paper analyzes these responses by examining the logics by which the prisons came to be opened in the Soviet period as well as investigating how the relationship between punishment, economy, and society in Kazakhstan has changed since that time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by a critical concern for state‐sanctioned coercion, control, and containment across "free society," geographers have extended Foucault's concept of "the carceral" to more and increasingly diffuse spaces and processes. In this paper, however, we aim to re‐center the prison in the carceral geographies literature, reasserting it as the sine qua non of the subfield. In doing so, we organize geographers' analysis of prisons into nine conceptual categories based on this journal's areas of geographical exploration: cultural, development, economic, environment, geographic information systems & quantitative, historical, political, social, and urban. In addition to providing a review of existing prison research in geography, we illustrate the diversity of disciplinary approaches to that most "complete and austere" of institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Despite renewed research interest in prison social organization, little is known about how relationships that constitute the prison social system develop and change. The current study aims to understand the processes that link friendship and power within a prison unit over time. Method: We examine longitudinal data on friendship and attributions of power collected from 274 residents in a Pennsylvania medium-security prison unit. We use a stochastic actor-oriented model to evaluate selection mechanisms that influence these relations and ascertain their temporal association. Results: We find different mechanisms responsible for friendship selections and power attributions. Friendships are primarily driven by attribute-based mechanisms, while power attributions are driven by network-based properties. Nevertheless, these two facets of social structure are interdependent, with friendships operating as building blocks for the development of power hierarchy in prison. Conclusion: By conceptualizing social structure as a multidimensional, fluid entity, we identify the unique roles that power and friendship relations play in recreating the prison social system. We maintain that understanding social structure in prison settings can provide insight into institutional adjustments and post-release expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research highlights how criminalized mothers may be particularly at risk of negative judgements, but little work to date explores how criminalisation, care experience and motherhood may intersect to produce multi-faceted structural disadvantage within both systems of care and punishment. This paper attends to this knowledge gap, drawing on interviews with imprisoned women who have been in care (e.g. foster care or children's homes), care-experienced girls and young women in the community, and professionals who work with them. Key findings include: a desire to break cycles of intergenerational stigma and social care involvement; lack of support and a fear of asking for help, and the care-less approach to pregnancy and motherhood that may be faced in prison and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to compare rates and characteristics of suicide mortality in formerly incarcerated people with those of the general population in North Carolina. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 266,400 people released from North Carolina state prisons between January 1, 2000, and March 1, 2020. Using direct and indirect standardization by age, sex, and calendar year, we calculated standardized suicide mortality rates and standardized mortality ratios comparing formerly incarcerated people with the North Carolina general population. We evaluated effect modification by race/ethnicity, sex, age, and firearm involvement. Formerly incarcerated people had approximately twice the overall suicide mortality of the general population for 3 years after release, with the highest rate of suicide mortality being observed in the 2-week period after release. In contrast to patterns in the general population, formerly incarcerated people had higher rates of non–firearm-involved suicide mortality than firearm-involved suicide mortality. Formerly incarcerated female, White and Hispanic/Latino, and emerging adult people had a greater elevation of suicide mortality than their general-population peers compared with other groups. These findings suggest a need for long-term support for formerly incarcerated people as they return to community living and a need to identify opportunities for interventions that reduce the harms of incarceration for especially vulnerable groups. This article is part of a Special Collection on Mental Health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the supposed rehabilitative function of incarceration, individuals who spend time in prison are often viewed narrowly as ex-offenders. However, framed contextually, their stories can illuminate factors with far-reaching implications. The purpose of this critical narrative inquiry was to provide a shared first-person account of a Black man living in postapartheid South Africa. His told experience included stunted maturation because of early incarceration and overcoming stigmatization upon reentry into his community. Interconnected social systems including education, employment, and community infrastructure affect quality of life for generations. His story sheds light on structural and individual barriers and the resilience needed to navigate them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One in fourteen children experience the incarceration of a parent only to be reunited upon release where risk for recidivism remains high—the implications of which for children's well-being is not well understood. To fill this gap, the study uses data from the Multi-site Family Study on Incarceration, Parenting and Partnering to follow 543 justice-involved fathers 18-months post-release. Results suggest that stable reentry trajectories are associated with children's decreased behavior problems, particularly for those who are non-residential. Boys and older children may be more negatively influenced by frequency of recidivism whereas girls and younger children may benefit more from longer durations of community time. Findings inform strategies that ease reintegration processes and improve well-being for children in justice-involved families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the motor, cognitive and language development of babies living in two institutional contexts. Seventy babies participated in the study: 35 from prisons and 35 from shelters. Thirty-five mothers of hospitalized babies and 10 caregivers of hospitalized babies also participated in this study. The instruments used were the Bayley III child development scale and a sociodemographic characterization form for babies and caregivers. In prison, it was realized that affective relationships and environmental stimuli were predominant factors in the healthy performance of babies. At the shelter, the rigid routine and the high number of children per caregiver may have resulted in the babies’ lower performance in the areas assessed. The results identified that the main variable that influences the development of institutionalized babies is the quality of affection provided and the duration of interaction that the baby maintains with other children and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The violence of incarceration creates greater responsibility for higher education administrators in supporting students who are in prison. Using focus group data with incarcerated students and formerly incarcerated alumni who participated in or are actively participating in Second Chance Pell, we explore their perceptions and understandings of the Pell Grant and eligibility for the Pell Grant, including lifetime eligibility used limits. Through a lens of Witnessing, we argue that deprivation and censorship of information negatively influence students' access to accurate and timely information about federal student aid and their ability to fully participate in the process. Accordingly, college and university staff have a fiduciary duty to incarcerated applicants and students who are subjected to the information deprivation and censorship that characterizes imprisonment in the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the federal government banned incarcerated students from accessing Pell Grants in the mid-1990s, a new model for supporting Higher Education in Prison (HEP) programs emerged-utilizing Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) as third-party facilitators to fill the gaps left behind in the absence of federal financial aid. With the longawaited reinstatement of Pell for incarcerated learners that went into effect in 2023, it is essential to consider the critical role that CBOs have played in supporting college programming in the absence of Pell and how they can continue to be leveraged to ensure quality and access for Prison Education Programs (PEPs) in a post-reinstatement landscape to prioritize equity, student autonomy, and robust student support for incarcerated students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individuals engaged with the justice sector have complex health needs, which often intersect with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Prior research suggests that the prevalence of TBI is high among offenders. However, it is unclear what processes are in place to support their TBI-related health needs. This study aimed to establish how TBIs are currently identified and managed across the justice sector and to identify opportunities improve access to healthcare services for individuals following TBI. Methods: This study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with justice sector staff, underpinned by the interpretive description approach. Participants were asked about how TBIs were managed in their setting and what would improve how they supported people in their care. Results: Nine interviews were conducted with clinical managers (n = 2), probation officers (n = 2), psychologists (n = 2), a mental health nurse (n = 1) and program coordinators (n = 2). Analysis identified one overarching theme, 'The need for national standards to facilitate practice change', which incorporated five sub-themes: (1) Need to know about current and historical TBIs, (2) Need to address factors affecting reporting of new injuries, (3) Need for clear healthcare pathways, (4) Need for communication across the justice and healthcare sectors, and (5) Need to upskill people across the justice sector. Conclusion: Routine screening processes, clarifying professional roles, streamlining healthcare pathways, facilitating data sharing and upskilling workforce knowledge about managing people affected by TBI may help to improve identification and management of TBI across the justice sector. There is a high occurrence of brain injuries in offenders within the justice sector. This study interviewed staff working in the justice sector about how brain injuries are currently identified and managed. It was found that a national standard for screening for brain injuries, addressing factors affecting reporting of new injuries, provision of clear healthcare pathways and improved communication would help to improve how people are supported following brain injury in the justice sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the peculiarities of the development of a progressive prison system in England. It is noted that the prerequisites for the implementation of this system were: an increase in the number of convicts, and therefore, prisoners; lack of prisons; decentralization and inefficiency of the prison system at that time; demoralizing consequences of execution of punishments. In 1838, the main regulations for reforming the penitentiary system of England were submitted to the government. The result of the proposed reform was the formation of a progressive prison system. The beginnings of the English progressive system of execution of punishments can be found in the activities of Captain D. McConochie, who in 1840 first applied its regulations to convict labourers on Norfolk Island near Australia, where the most dangerous criminals were sent. In England itself, this system was first introduced in 1842 in Pentonville Prison. The English progressive penitentiary system provided for several stages of imprisonment: solitary confinement, which took place in special solitary cells; collective imprisonment with joint labor during the day and separation at night; parole. The system had the following characteristic features: gradualness in the severity of the punishment, which depended on the arrestee himself; individualization of execution of sentences, based on a personal daily analysis of prisoners’ attitude to the regime and work; involvement of prisoners in the provision of prison activities; comprehensibility and accessibility for each detainee; significant educational influence on prisoners, most of whom were interested in softening prison conditions; parole as the highest reward for good behavior and conscientious work. The system had significant successes and attracted the attention of specialists and the public by reducing recidivism and a diverse set of educational measures. It also found its embodiment in the modern penitentiary system of England, in which the execution of prison sentences is organized according to a progressive system, which provides for solitary confinement with subsequent transfer to a general cell, where the regime of detention has three degrees. One of the main elements of organising and executing punishments related to deprivation of liberty is the classification and division of prisoners into four categories. According to these categories, there are four regimes of detention of prisoners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although often left out of public health efforts and policy decisions, prisons, jails, and detention centers are integral to community health. With an average of 650,000 citizens returning home from prison each year in the United States, and thousands of correctional staff members returning home every night, there are millions of touchpoints between outside communities and carceral settings. For this reason, carceral communities should be central to planning and policy making in response to the spread of the COVID-19 illness. As social workers and clinicians, we are urgently concerned that efforts to prevent COVID-19 infections in prisons are underdeveloped and inadequate in the face of a fast-spreading virus. In this commentary, we outline a set of public health, policy, and clinical recommendations based upon the existing literature to mitigate various risks to the well-being of carceral communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst there is some research into the media's coverage of the British penal system, little is conducted through the lens of social psychology. This study employs social representations theory in order to examine British tabloid newspaper The Sun's contribution to the public understanding of prisons and prisoners from a psychological perspective. The data consists of 34 articles published within the month of March 2017 which were analysed using a modified version of Foucauldian discourse analysis. It was found that The Sun's coverage of the penal system contributed to a construction of prisons as both out of control and as providing prisoners with an easy life, and a construction of prisoners as both inherently dangerous and undeserving. These constructions contribute to a social representation of prisoners as 'beyond redemption'. The implications of these findings are considered in light of the subject positions offered and the opportunities for action provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are major health concerns worldwide. Recent data indicate a decline in prevalence in the Saudi population; however, there are no data on the prevalence in prisoners. This study is the first to investigate the prevalence of viral hepatitis in female inmates in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections and to assess the knowledge and attitudes related to these infections among inmates. Methods: Inmates were interviewed using a pre-designed questionnaire, and their blood samples were tested for HBV and HCV infections using serology, PCR, and phylogenetic analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of HBV infection in the study population was 4.4%. The age group > 25 years was predominantly affected; 11.1% of the infected cases were Saudi nationals, and 88.9% were non-Saudis. The prevalence of HCV infection was 2.4%. Among the studied variables, age and previous employment were significantly associated with positive HBV PCR, while conviction, knowledge about protection from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), knowledge about condom use for protection against STIs, and condom use for protection against STIs were significantly associated with HCV infection. Conclusions: This study shows higher HBV and HCV prevalence in the female prisoners in Briman prison compared to the general population. Uneducated prisoners, over 25 years old, and convicted of prostitution are more associated with both HBV and HCV infection. Future preventive plans should include screening new prisoners with these risk factors for HBV and HCV at the time of entry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faith-based units are prison spaces centred on the performance of religious practices that can nowadays be found in prisons in several countries. These faith-based practices have usually been explored in relation to the effects they have on inmates, but there are few studies that have explored how their presence affects prison life and how they can influence prison governance. This article will compare two different faith-based prison experiences located in two very different social and penitentiary contexts, Argentina and Sweden, in order to explore how the presence of these units affects prison management. To do so, we will analyse semi-structured interviews with 55 individuals conducted in prisons in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present evidence of estimated significant associations between greenspace and prisoners' self-reported well-being, self-harm and violence in prisons in England and Wales. Refining and extending our previous research that estimated the relationship between greenspace and self-harm and violence while controlling for the effects of prison characteristics (e.g. prison size, over-crowding and security level), the findings in the present study show that greenspace remains significantly related to self-harm and violence when we additionally control for prison population characteristics (such as prisoner age, ethnicity, sentence length) and when we use additional self-reported indicators of well-being. Furthermore, our findings also show that the beneficial effects of greenspace appear to be particularly prominent in prison establishments that suffer from overcrowding or hold relatively large shares of younger and un-sentenced prisoners. Finally, our results reveal that greenspace has important impacts on the inter-relationships between self-reported well-being, self-harm and prison violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]