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Purpose: Oral health is an integral part of general health. Different population groups have been assessed for oral health status in India, but still, many have been neglected; one such group is the prisoners. The prison population is a unique and challenging one with many health problems, including poor oral health, which may be due to lack of knowledge about good oral health practices. This study aims to assess effectiveness of oral health education on oral health knowledge, attitude and practices and oral hygiene status among the male prison inmates of central jail in Kolkata, India., Design/methodology/approach: An interventional study was done among 240 male convicts. The data was elicited using a structured proforma; oral health status was assessed by recording OHI-S index, and the severity of gingivitis was assessed by recording the gingival index. Oral health education was delivered by using audio-visual aid. Oral health knowledge, attitude, practices and oral hygiene and gingival status were reassessed among the inmates before and after dental education at the end of three and six months., Findings: A significant change in oral health knowledge, attitude and practices was seen, which in turn resulted in an appreciable decrease in the mean gingival index score (1.73 ± 0.382 to 1.20 ± 0.321) and OHI-S (3.31 ± 0.815 to 2.57 ± 0.551) in all the inmates after oral health education program over the period of time., Originality/value: The oral health education with reinforcement proved to be an effective tool to instil good oral hygiene practices in the inmates., (© Emerald Publishing Limited.)

In order to make the insulation sanctions effective, some activities at the execution stage should be done, especially the functioning of the penitentiary system and instruments which are applied to prisoners. The executive Penal Code specifies many instruments which can be helpful for the prisoners adaptation to freedom. The importance of customizing the influence of individual selected methods is based on article 55 (Penal Code). In article 67 (Executive Penal Code) legislators specify the individual selected methods such as: employment, education, staying in touch with family and the outside world, cultural and educational activities (article 135 Executive Penal Code)5, classes sports, therapeutic methods, awards, incentives, disciplinary penalties and post-penitentiary system. The author focuses on the discussion of the factors that support the prison rehabilitation specially on education and self- education. Enrichment of personal knowledge, interests development, intellectual stimulation and development of certain personality traits- this is the benefit of these kinds of methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Action-Research Methodology and gender sensitivity linked to solve gender violence expression in prisons. The curriculum negotiation is a principle that allowed prisoners to engage in the activities in a voluntary way. Six months of field qualitative implementation - contrary to Blitzkrieg Ethnography-allowed us to get a real change of abilities as team trust, cooperation skills, decision-making process to avoid violence and to recognize the need the prisoners have to express their sentiments. Results show a success of critical Action Research and active participation of all the actors as well as the construction of a peace culture and a new field of work for pedagogues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Emotional education has beneficial effects on physical and/or emotional health, resulting in a better quality of life. Thus, it is beneficial to provide prisoners with emotional education, because of the difficulties they often have, to attain these benefits., Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the effects of a nursing intervention program in emotional education for incarcerated persons., Methods: Experimental study with pretest-posttest repeated measures with a control group was conducted at a penitentiary center in the southeast of Spain. Forty-eight prisoners participated in the emotional education intervention program, and another 48 were part of the control group. The emotional intelligence questionnaire 24-item Trait Meta-Mood Scale, the resilience scale Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Rathus Assertiveness Questionnaire, and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey were utilized., Findings: The intragroup, preintervention and postintervention comparisons in the study group showed improvements in self-esteem (p = 0.00, r = 0.51), resilience (p = 0.00, r = 0.42), assertiveness (p = 0.00, r = 0.46), and emotional intelligence in its dimensions of repair (p = 0.00, r = 0.32) and clarity (p = 0.02, r = 0.22) as well as in most of the quality of life dimensions. Significant intergroup differences were also found in all of these variables, except for attention and emotional clarity dimensions., Conclusion: The intervention improved the socioemotional health and quality of life of the prisoners, highlighting the importance of these interventions to be performed by the nursing personnel on a regular basis as a programmed activity within prisons., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 International Association of Forensic Nurses.)

Importance: Tobacco use prevalence among individuals involved in the criminal-legal system is 125% higher than that of the general population and leads to high levels of smoking-related morbidity and mortality., Objective: To examine the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary clinical outcomes of a smoking cessation intervention for individuals who are incarcerated., Design, Setting, and Participants: This pilot randomized clinical trial was conducted from January 2019 to May 2020. Participants were recruited in a pretrial county jail in a large Midwestern US city and were followed up after release. Participants were incarcerated, smoked daily before incarceration, desired to stay quit or reduce cigarette smoking upon release, and expected to be released to the community within 90 days of enrollment. Data analysis was performed from June to October 2020., Interventions: Participants randomized to the counseling plus nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) group received 1 hour of smoking cessation counseling in jail, a supply of nicotine lozenges upon release, and up to 4 telephone counseling sessions after release. Those randomized to brief health education (BHE) received 30 minutes of general health education in jail., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary clinical outcome was biologically verified 7-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) at 3 weeks after release. Secondary clinical outcomes included 7-day PPA at 12 weeks, changes in number of cigarettes per day, and time to smoking lapse and relapse., Results: A total of 46 participants (42 men [91%]; mean [SD] age, 38.2 [9.1] years) were enrolled and remained eligible at release; 23 were randomized to the counseling plus NRT group and 23 were randomized to the BHE group. Recruitment, enrollment, and retention of participants was feasible and acceptable. There were no significant differences in smoking abstinence between groups as determined by 7-day PPA at 3 weeks (adjusted 7-day PPA, 11.9% for counseling plus NRT vs 10.6% for BHE; odds ratio, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.14-9.07) and at 12 weeks (adjusted 7-day PPA, 11.1% for counseling plus NRT vs 14.3% for BHE; odds ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.09-6.11). Cigarettes per day for the counseling plus NRT group decreased more compared with the BHE group at both 3 weeks (difference [SE], -4.58 [1.58] cigarettes per day; 95% CI, -7.67 to -1.48 cigarettes per day; P = .007) and 12 weeks (difference [SE], -3.26 [1.58] cigarettes per day; 95% CI, -5.20 to -0.20 cigarettes per day; P = .04) after release., Conclusions and Relevance: Initiation of counseling plus NRT during incarceration and continuing after release is feasible and acceptable to participants and may be associated with reduced cigarette use after release. However, additional supports are needed to increase engagement in telephone counseling after release. A larger clinical trial is warranted to determine the effectiveness of counseling plus NRT., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03799315.

Importance: Concentrated epidemics of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have persisted among Black women in community supervision programs (CSPs) in the United States. Accumulating research has highlighted the effectiveness of culturally tailored HIV/STI interventions for Black women; however, there is a dearth of such interventions for the large number of Black women in CSPs., Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a 5-session culturally tailored group-based intervention (Empowering African-American Women on the Road to Health [E-WORTH]) with individualized computerized modules and streamlined HIV testing in reducing STIs and condomless sex vs a 1-session streamlined HIV testing control condition., Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized clinical trial was conducted from November 18, 2015, (first recruitment) to August 20, 2019 (last 12-month follow-up). Black women mandated to probation, parole, or alternative-to-incarceration programs in New York City who had a history of drug use were recruited and randomized to receive either E-WORTH or a streamlined HIV testing control condition. Both conditions were delivered by Black female staff at a large CSP. The analysis took an intention-to-treat approach., Intervention: E-WORTH included a 1-hour individual HIV testing and orientation session and 4 weekly 90-minute group sessions. The control condition included one 30-minute session of HIV testing and information., Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were incidence of any STI (biologically assayed chlamydia, gonorrhea, and Trichomonas vaginalis) at the 12-month assessment and the number of condomless acts of vaginal or anal intercourse in the past 90 days during the 12-month period., Results: A total of 352 participants who identified as Black or African American were enrolled, including 79 (22.5%) who also identified as Latinx. The mean (SD) age was 32.4 (11.0) years. A total of 172 participants (48.9%) were assigned to the E-WORTH condition, and 180 (51.1%) were assigned to the control condition. Compared with control participants, participants assigned to the E-WORTH condition had 54% lower odds of testing positive for any STI at the 12-month follow-up (odds ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25-0.88; P = .01) and reported 38% fewer acts of condomless vaginal or anal intercourse during the 12-month period (incidence rate ratio, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.39-0.97; P = .04)., Conclusions and Relevance: The magnitudes of effects found across biological and behavioral outcomes in this randomized clinical trial indicate the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing E-WORTH in real-world CSPs. The findings lend further evidence to the promise of culturally tailored HIV/STI interventions for Black women., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02391233.

The project purpose was to examine the impact of smoking cessation education, targeting associated antenatal risks on smoking rates in female prisoners of childbearing age. The project used a pre-/postdesign for the assessment of awareness of antenatal smoking risks and smoking habits and was conducted at a female state prison in the Southeastern United States. Data analysis resulting from a comparison of means of tests identified knowledge increases posteducation. Qualitative data collected pre- and postintervention identified changes in smoking habits. The educational intervention effectively increased participant knowledge of antenatal smoking risks and resulted in a reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked daily.

Background: Youth involved in the juvenile justice system have high reproductive health needs and, on exiting detention, face the challenging transition of reentry. We conducted a systematic literature review to describe what is known about youths' reproductive health needs during community reentry after incarceration., Methods: We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar for articles containing key words with the concepts 'child or adolescent', 'incarcerated' and 'reentry'. In the search, we defined the concept of 'reentry' as within 1 month prior to release (to include interventions involving pre-release planning) and up to 18 months after release from incarceration., Results: Our search yielded 2187 articles. After applying all exclusion criteria, 14 articles on reproductive health remained for extraction. The articles provided data on the following aspects of youths' reproductive health: frequency of condom use (eight articles), sexual risk behaviours other than lack of condom use (seven articles), and prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (three articles)., Conclusions: The literature on the reproductive health needs of youth undergoing reentry is extremely limited. Current intervention studies yield mixed but promising results and more intervention studies that address both pre-release reentry planning and the post-incarceration period are needed. Given incarcerated youths' well-documented reproductive health disparities compared with non-incarcerated adolescents, the identified gaps represent important opportunities for future research and programmatic emphasis., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Over two million men, women, and youth are incarcerated in the United States. This large and ethnically diverse population has, in general, more limited exposure to education, particularly in scientific fields, than the general public. Formal educational programs for the incarcerated can be expensive and logistically difficult to initiate and maintain, but informal science education (ISE) approaches have the potential to significantly improve inmates' view of science and of themselves as science learners. However, "dosage effects"-how repeated exposure to educational experiences may affect listeners-are poorly documented. In this study, we evaluated the longitudinal effects of an ISE program in Utah, which provided a monthly lecture series delivered by academic scientists on a range of science topics. Science content knowledge, self-perception as a science learner, interest in science, and a desire to seek out more scientific information all significantly improved for inmates attending lectures. We also found that seeing a greater number of lectures is positively associated with a desire to seek out additional information. We documented an inverse relationship between education background and the increase in a desire to learn more, suggesting that those with more limited exposure to science manifest the greatest increase in seeking out more information. These results suggest that ISE for the incarcerated significantly improves their knowledge of, and relationship with, science; that some of these effects carry over across months or years; and that ISE programs can have the largest impact by focusing on those with more limited prior exposure to science., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The objective of this research is to examine the effects of general educational development (GED) attainment in prison and therapeutic community participation on postrelease employment and earnings. The participants are all males released from prisons in Idaho during 2004. The dependent variables are employment and mean quarterly earnings up to 57 months after release. Propensity score matching analysis was used to enhance the equivalence of the comparison groups, with a small percentage of overly influential observations trimmed. Logistic regression was used to examine the effects of programming on employment. GED had no effect on employment. The effect of therapeutic community approached significance. The statistical analyses on earnings used generalized linear models based on the gamma distribution due to the highly skewed distribution of this variable. These analyses found that GED had no effect on earnings and that participation in a therapeutic community had a highly significant effect on mean quarterly earnings.

Incarcerated men in the United States, an understudied population, have not been the focus of cancer prevention research. This pilot study explored the impact of Cancer 101 for imprisoned male smokers to increase cancer knowledge and promote cancer prevention activities in the prison population. Cancer 101 was pilot tested for adoption with representatives from the target audience in three prison facilities located in the northeastern region of the United States, and based on their feedback, modifications were implemented. Pretest and posttest surveys were used to assess knowledge of attitudes regarding the benefits of cancer prevention activities at baseline and immediately after completing Cancer 101. Furthermore, a paired t test procedure was used to determine whether cancer knowledge improved after participating in the Cancer 101 program. A total of 161 men completed all of the modules, participated in pre/post assessments, and qualitatively described their behavioral intentions to participate in activities that could reduce cancer risk. The mean cancer knowledge scores differed before and after completing Cancer 101, t (163) = -14.67, p < .001. Regarding age, the older the respondent, the higher their cancer knowledge score, r = .29, p < .001. This study showed improvements in cancer knowledge scores and behavioral intentions to participate in activities to reduce cancer. Cancer 101 provides opportunities for inmates to increase cancer knowledge, as well as promote action for cancer control during incarceration.

Introduction: Attending school and working are consistently associated with positive outcomes for juvenile offenders returning to the community., Methods: Using longitudinal data from the Pathways to Desistance Study, we used structural equation modeling to test whether better school experiences while incarcerated was positively connected to adjustment upon release among serious juvenile offenders (91% male) in the U.S. Adjustment was assessed as attending school for 310 legal minors (<18 years), and engaging in work for 259 emerging adults (≥18 years), as well as self-reported delinquency for all participants., Results: Accounting for incarceration and school history, results showed that facility school attachment, but not grades, was associated with decreased delinquency 12 months after release across sex in both age groups. Additionally, facility school attachment predicted engagement in school for returning minors. However, facility school experience was not related to engaging in work for returning emerging adults., Conclusions: Results indicate that facility school climate matters for all juvenile offenders returning to their communities and that correctional education done right presents an important opportunity to reconnect returning minors with school, an important normative context of development. Conversely, results suggest that returning offenders who have 'aged out' of high school are a separate vulnerable group who may need additional support for successful reentry., (Copyright © 2019 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Although the idea of criminal rehabilitation in China has a long history, research on offender rehabilitation in contemporary China is limited. Although Chinese scholars generally agree that rehabilitation through correctional education helps inmates with social reintegration and reduces recidivism, few have examined factors associated with prisoners' participation in such programs. Building on relevant theory and studies in Western societies, this study examines how Chinese prisoners' participation in vocational and academic programs is associated with a range of push and pull factors. Our research questions are addressed with binary and multinomial logistic regressions based on a unique prisoner data set collected in Zhejiang, China. Results show that some factors found to affect inmate participation in the West failed to demonstrate significant relationships with participation among Chinese prisoners. Furthermore, factors most significantly associated with participation appear to be incarceration related, such as prison visits, prison phone calls, and sentence lengths. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our results.

Objectives: Problem-solving skills training is adaptable, inexpensive and simple to deliver. However, its application with prisoners who self-harm is unknown. The study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a problem-solving training (PST) intervention for prison staff and prisoners who self-harm, to inform the design of a large-scale study., Design and Setting: A mixed-methods design used routinely collected data, individual outcome measures, an economic protocol and qualitative interviews at four prisons in Yorkshire and Humber, UK., Participants: (i) Front-line prison staff, (ii) male and female prisoners with an episode of self-harm in the previous 2 weeks., Intervention: The intervention comprised a 1 hour staff training session and a 30 min prisoner session using adapted workbooks and case studies., Outcomes: We assessed the study processes-coverage of training; recruitment and retention rates and adequacy of intervention delivery-and available data (completeness of outcome data, integrity of routinely collected data and access to the National Health Service (NHS) resource information). Prisoner outcomes assessed incidence of self-harm, quality of life and depression at baseline and at follow-up. Qualitative findings are presented elsewhere., Results: Recruitment was higher than anticipated for staff n=280, but lower for prisoners, n=48. Retention was good with 43/48 (89%) prisoners completing the intervention, at follow-up we collected individual outcome data for 34/48 (71%) of prisoners. Access to routinely collected data was inconsistent. Prisoners were frequent users of NHS healthcare. The additional cost of training and intervention delivery was deemed minimal in comparison to 'treatment as usual'. Outcome measures of self-harm, quality of life and depression were found to be acceptable., Conclusions: The intervention proved feasible to adapt. Staff training was delivered but on the whole it was not deemed feasible for staff to deliver the intervention. A large-scale study is warranted, but modifications to the implementation of the intervention are required., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

The incarceration of mothers affects 1.7 million minor children who are at high risk of behavioral problems, emotional trauma, and future incarceration. The jail setting removes women from society for brief periods of time providing an opportunity to offer essential interventions for those who will be returning to the community, and possibly their children, rather quickly. Utilizing a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design, we measured the self-reported treatment effects for female inmates, housed in a county jail in the New York metropolitan area, who completed an evidence-based parenting program. Program participants reported reduced depression, increased parental knowledge, and increased communication with their families and fellow inmates. The results indicated that alternative ways of measuring program success are needed - particularly for populations who present with long histories of criminal justice involvement and drug use.

Parenting programs are increasingly being offered in prison as governments seek to reduce the negative consequences of parental imprisonment and encourage desistance from crime. However, little is known about the design and delivery of such programs and how this may shape program effectiveness. This article seeks to address this gap by examining how the design and delivery of the Families Matter program for imprisoned adult fathers in Northern Ireland affected its ability to achieve its goals of improving family relationships and fathers' parenting skills. Examples of good practice are offered, as well as challenges that remain to be overcome. It is argued that more attention needs to be paid to the design and delivery of these programs if their ability to achieve long-term improvements in family relationships and parenting skills are to be improved.

To address HIV-risk among justice-involved minority men, New York City Health + Hospitals Correctional Health Services implemented a modified version of Choosing Life: Empowerment, Action Results (CLEAR), an evidence-based intervention to influence behavior. A total of 166 young (i.e., 20-29 years old) minority (e.g., non-Hispanic Black or Latinx) men at risk for HIV and incarcerated in New York City jails completed the adapted group-format intervention and corresponding evaluation assessments. Participants showed significantly improved HIV knowledge on the 18-item HIV-KQ-18 scale (mean increase = 3.11 correct, from 13.23 [SD = 3.80] pre-intervention to 16.34 [SD = 2.29] post-intervention). Similarly, participant summary scores for substance use risk, sexual risk, and health promotion improved significantly. At 90 days after jail release, participants reported improved "CLEAR thinking," reduced risk behaviors and improved health-promoting behaviors. Health and HIV-prevention education programs implemented in the jail setting may help reduce health inequities and improve health outcomes.

Background: To improve tuberculosis case detection, interventions that are feasible with available resources are needed. We investigated whether involving trained prison inmates in a tuberculosis control programme improved tuberculosis case detection, shortened pre-treatment symptom duration, and increased treatment success in a resource-limited prison setting in Ethiopia., Methods: In this cluster-randomised trial we randomly assigned prisons in the regions Amhara and Tigray of Ethiopia to an intervention group or a control group, after matching them into pairs based on their geographical proximity and size. Larger prisons were considered eligible whereas smaller prisons were excluded. We selected three to six prison inmates in each intervention prison. The recruited prison inmates who received a 3-day training course and were capable of identifying presumptive tuberculosis cases then provided health education to all other prison inmates about tuberculosis prevention and control every 2 weeks for 1 year. They also actively searched for symptomatic prison inmates and undertook routine symptom-based tuberculosis screening. The control prisons followed the existing passive case finding system. The primary outcome was the mean case detection rate at the end of the year, measured at cluster (prison) level. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02744521., Findings: We randomly assigned 16 prisons with a total population of 18 032 inmates to either the intervention group (n=8) or the control group (n=8) from April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017. During the 1-year study period, 75 new tuberculosis cases (1% of 8874 total inmates) were detected in the intervention prisons and 25 new cases (<1% of 9158 total inmates) were detected in the control prisons. The mean case detection rate was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (mean difference 52·9 percentage points, 95% CI 17·5-88·3, p=0·010)., Interpretation: Involving trained inmate peer educators in the tuberculosis control programme in Ethiopian prisons significantly improved the tuberculosis case detection rate. The findings have important implications for clinical and public health policy, particularly in prisons of low-income countries where tuberculosis burden is high and the recommended tuberculosis diagnostic and treatment algorithms have generally not been implemented., Funding: Nuffic, Mekelle University., (Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The aims of the researchers were to determine the effectiveness of Life Skills Training for promoting mental health in the women after released. The study design was semi-experimental with pretest, posttest, follow-up, and control group. One hundred and fifty women after released were selected by convenience sampling. They were randomly assigned to experimental group and control group. The experimental group received the life skills training, while the control group did not. The research measurement instrument comprised the General Health Questionnaire. MANCOVA models were used to test the study hypothesis. We analyzed data and thus believe that mental health increased among women.

Study Objective: To assess the effect of providing standardized counseling to improve the rates of contraception initiation and utilization among detained young women. This was a quality improvement (QI) project conducted at a large urban juvenile short-term detention center. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The intervention included educating all staff and care providers, counseling detained young women on various contraceptive options, and offering contraception initiation with oral contraceptive pills or depot medroxyprogesterone acetate injection. Retrospective chart review before February 2012 established baseline contraception initiation and utilization rates. The QI intervention began in February 2012 and continued for 6 months followed by chart review. Outcomes measured included number of patients counseled about contraception, started contraception, and overall contraception utilization., Results: We reviewed 120 and 186 charts before and after intervention, respectively. Compared with baseline data, the intervention group had statistically significant (P < .05) higher proportions of patients counseled (10% [10/120] baseline vs 84% [156/186] intervention) and who started contraception (7% [8/120] baseline vs 52% [97/186] intervention)., Conclusion: This contraception QI intervention showed significant improvement in the rates of contraception counseling, contraception initiation, and utilization among detained young women. Most of youths' guardians were supportive and approved contraception initiation. This project showed it is feasible for health care providers to include contraception services for all intake assessments at juvenile detention facilities., (Copyright © 2018 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We conducted a randomized controlled trial of a six-session behavioral intervention designed to reduce frequency of condomless sex and numbers of sex partners among recently incarcerated, bisexual Black men. One hundred participants were assigned to the small-group intervention, Men in Life Environments (MILE), and 112 were assigned to the control condition. Among those assigned to MILE, 69% attended at least one session, 88% of whom attended all sessions. At 3-months' follow-up, large reductions in risk behaviors were reported by both groups. Means for episodes of condomless sex in the previous 3 months declined from 27.7 to 8.0 for the intervention and 25.6 to 6.7 for the control group. Reductions were not greater for the intervention than those of the control group. Regression to the mean, respondent burden, and implementation issues, such as moving from office-based to field-based survey administration at follow-up, may have contributed to the large declines reported by both groups.

Conditions within jails and prisons are a public health crisis, necessitating critical reform measures. An innovative collaboration between a Midwestern College of Nursing and Cook County Department of Corrections provides students with the opportunity to develop health education for both those detained in the jail and the corrections officers. A phenomenological approach, recognizing the importance of intuitive and cognitive understanding, is offered as a framework for practice in complex environments. Principles of restorative justice provide a bridge between primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention and the nursing practice possible within these institutions of incarceration and the communities to which people return.

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights holds up the right to opinion and expression for all. Just Sentences was a prison-based language-literacy pilot project for men, delivered by a speech-language pathologist at Risdon Prison in Tasmania, Australia. The pilot provided input into the various interpretative permutations of "just sentences". It enabled skills of opinion and expression. This commentary takes language and social reciprocity to be privileged drivers of personal agency and pro-social personal freedom. It notes the role of hope as an agent of positive change, including in desistance from crime. It describes the project and shares the reflections of the speech-language pathologist who delivered it.

The objective of this review was to synthesise evidence on the health and social support needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people leaving prison and on programs which aid successful community re-entry. A systematic literature review was undertaken of peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2001 and 2013, focusing on the post-release needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and pre- and post-release programs. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have high health and social support needs on leaving prison. There is little literature evidence that re-entry programs commonly consider health needs, support linkages with primary care or Aboriginal Medical Services, or are designed in consideration of the particular needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In the absence of evaluative evidence on re-entry programs in this group, we have synthesised the best practice recommendations. Re-entry programs must be culturally competent in design and delivery, holistic, take a long-term view, involve families and communities, demonstrate interagency coordination and promote linkages between prison and community-based services. There is an urgent need for accessible pre- and post-release programs which meet the particular needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including their health needs. Programs must be flexible, comprehensive and accessible to those on remand or with short sentences. Stronger linkage with primary care and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health organisations is recommended., (© 2017 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.)

Study Objective: To assess the effects of an interprofessional student-led comprehensive sexual education curriculum in improving the reproductive health literacy among at-risk youths in detention., Design, Setting, and Participants: We performed a prospective cohort study involving 134 incarcerated youth and an interprofessional team of 23 medical, nursing, and social work students, who participated in a comprehensive reproductive health curriculum over the course of 3 days., Interventions, and Main Outcome Measures: Basic reproductive health knowledge, confidence in condom use with a new partner, and self-efficacy with regard to contraception use and sexual autonomy were assessed before and after completion of the curriculum. We also assessed the student teachers' level of comfort with teaching reproductive health to adolescents and their perception of interprofessionalism., Results: Incarcerated youth showed a statistically significant increase in knowledge regarding sexually transmitted infections as well as self-reported confidence in condom use (P = .002). Self-efficacy in contraception use and sexual autonomy did not show significant improvement. Qualitative analysis of student teachers' surveys revealed theme categories regarding perception of youth, perception of self in teaching youth, perception of interacting with youth, and perception of working in interprofessional teams., Conclusions: Our program might represent a mutually beneficial community relationship to improve reproductive health literacy in this high-risk youth population., (Copyright © 2016 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

As relationship education (RE) programs become more widely implemented, it is important to measure and document the changes associated with RE for diverse audiences. Also, researchers have been challenged to examine the impact of RE with more disadvantaged groups. While we are seeing an increase in this area, only three studies have examined RE with an incarcerated sample. These previous studies examined only those currently in a relationship and focused primarily on couple functioning. The aim of this study was to expand the existing literature by examining RE with a broader sample of incarcerated adults, regardless of current relationship status, and to expand our understanding of its association with outcomes beyond the couple domain by also including measures of individual and parental functioning. In addition, we examined whether change from pre- to posttest was moderated by individual characteristics. Using a sample of incarcerated adults (N = 122), the study found positive change in three domains of functioning (couple, individual, and parental). Specifically, results indicated change on five of the eight outcome variables examined. Overall, we found both similarities and differences among program participants on changes from pre- to posttest. For the majority of outcomes, the positive change from pre- to posttest emerged regardless of individual characteristics., (© 2015 Family Process Institute.)

The increasing numbers of aging and chronically ill prisoners incarcerated in Western nations is well-documented, as is the growing need for prison-based palliative and end-of-life care. Less often discussed is specifically how end-of-life care can and should be provided, by whom, and with what resources. One strategy incorporates prisoner volunteers into end-of-life services within a peer-care program. This article reports on one such program based on focused ethnographic study including in-depth interviews with inmate hospice volunteers, nursing staff, and corrections officers working in the hospice program. We describe how inmate volunteers learn hospice care through formal education and training, supervised practice, guidance from more experienced inmates, and support from correctional staff. We discuss how emergent values of mentorship and stewardship are seen by volunteers and staff as integral to prison hospice sustainability and discuss implications of this volunteer-centric model for response-ability for the end-of-life care of prisoners.

Purpose: . In the last-decade, the treatment of drug offenders in Japanese prisons has changed from severe punishment to a therapeutic approach. This study aimed to review studies that evaluated the effectiveness of relapse prevention guidance for drug- dependent inmates in Japan., Methods: We searched three databases: Ichushi; the Japanese correctional library database; and- PubMed. The inclusion criteria were: 1) the guidance was conducted in prisons in Japan; 2) the participants were Japanese adult inmates; 3) the evaluations were reported in quanti- tative investigations and original articles in Ichushi and PubMed; and, 4) the evaluations were reported in quantitative investigations in the Japanese correctional library database., Results: In total, we identified 13 studies. Three studies.used comparison groups, and two studies included follow-up after the inmates' : release. Two studies-used recidivism and one used treatment persistence as behavioral outcomes. Almost all of the studies used psychological scales. Self-efficacy measures were the most commonly used, and the second most common scale was the Stage of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES)., Conclusion: Our findings indicate that SOCRATES is the most useful psychological outcome scale in assessing the effectiveness of. relapse prevention guidance for drug offenders in Japan. However, evidence is lacking, as most studies were before-and-after studies that only assessed psychological outcomes. More follow-up studies after release that include comparison groups and investigate behavioral outcomes are needed.

Purpose Evidence in the UK tells us that risky drinking is high amongst those in contact with the criminal justice system. The purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons why carrying out research around risky drinking in this setting is so difficult. Design/methodology/approach A commentary on the issues of carrying out research in the criminal justice setting. Findings There are issues of carrying out research in the criminal justice setting. The authors argue, that as academics we can be more proactive in working with practitioners in the design and carrying out of studies. By examining what the primary outcome of interest is to those that work in the field rather than what funding agencies tell us academics must use, academics may engage in a more co-productive way that enables everyone to achieve what they need. Moreover more work is needed to show how this approach can be achieved both in the UK and internationally. Originality/value This editorial explores some of the difficulties of carrying out alcohol research in the criminal justice system and postulates ways that this could be made easier.

Background: Correctional institutions have unique circumstances offering care and the opportunity to adopt healthy behaviours for populations suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes. In view of their expertise on medication, pharmacists can contribute to multidisciplinary educational health programmes in prisons., Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a pharmacist led diabetes medication-related workshops., Method: Pharmacists led workshops about patients' empowerment in their treatment within the educational program. On a prospective observational study basis, the impact was assessed in terms of relevance, learning outcomes and achievement transfer using the Kirkpatrick training assessment method. Hb1Ac was measured as glycemic control outcome., Results: Fifteen patients involved in the workshops showed a significant decrease in HbA1c compared to the control group (-1.18 ± 0.52 vs. +0.26 ± 0.28 %; p < 0.001)., Relevance: All participants were satisfied and ready to join other sessions., Learning Outcomes: (LO) Postworkshop scores were significantly improved (LO1: 4.2 ± 0.9 vs. 2.2 ± 1.4; LO2: 4.5 ± 0.9 vs. 2.6 ± 1.3; p < 0.05). Decrease in HbA1c was correlated to increase in LO2's scores. (Y = 0.946 - 1.134X; R = -0.692; p < 0.05). ACHIEVEMENT TRANSFER: Key points from all LOs were reported. In case studies, 70 % of participants adopted healthy strategies (LO3)., Conclusion: These results highlight the positive impact of the workshops and the additive value of pharmacists' involvement within the educational program in jail.

This study aims to investigate how young inmates integrate temporal and contextual elements of identity and what is the role of education in identity integration. Twenty-six young inmates were interviewed. Thematic analysis revealed that inmates integrated the elements of four time identities using different mechanisms to deal with each identity: (a) Past identity (before imprisonment) is defined by cumulative risk factors, where detachment from family, society, and institutions prevails; (b) present identity is characterized by the engagement in prison's educational activities; (c) emergent identity (until their release) is characterized by their requests for a proper education and training and their commitment to acquire qualifications; (d) future identity (after their release) is characterized by the investment on future aims for personal growth, family, education/work and community. Inmates used the non-formal educational program, which was offered in prison, as a vehicle towards positive identity contemplation., (Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: HIV testing is mandatory in re-education-through-labour camps (laojiaosuo) in China yet no studies have reported on the process., Methods: The survey response rate was 100% although 29 detainees were excluded because they were under 18 years of age. A cross-sectional face-to-face survey was conducted in three labour camps in Guangxi, located in the south-western region of China., Results: Of the 755 detainees surveyed, 725 (96%) reported having a blood test in the labour camps of whom 493 (68%) thought this included an HIV test. 61 detainees self-reported they were HIV infected, their status confirmed by medical records, if available. Of these, 53 (87%) recalled receiving post-test HIV education, and 15 (25%) were currently receiving HIV antiretroviral therapy. Pretest education on HIV was provided to 233/725 (32%) detainees. The study further reports on detainees' reactions and feelings towards non-disclosure and disclosure of their HIV test results in the labour camps., Conclusions: Mandatory testing is almost universal in the labour camps although a proportion of detainees were unaware that this included an HIV test. HIV test results should be disclosed to all labour camp detainees to reduce their distress of not knowing and prevent misconceptions about their HIV status. Labour camps provide another opportunity to implement universal treatment ('Test and Treat') to prevent the spread of HIV., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)

The primary objective of this article was to describe the development and pilot implementation of a brief jail-based cervical health promotion intervention. The intervention was guided by a preliminary study of incarcerated women's cervical health knowledge, awareness, and health literacy, as well as a social and feminist approach to intervention development. We developed and conducted a pilot implementation of the Sexual Health Empowerment Project to increase cervical health knowledge, reduce barriers related to beliefs about cervical cancer, and improve self-efficacy and confidence in navigating health systems. This article offers a framework for how empirically and theory-based interventions are developed and tailored for a jail setting. Future work should include the evaluation of the long-term effects of such a disease-specific program on health behaviors and outcomes among high-risk and vulnerable groups of women as they leave jails and enter communities., (© 2014 Society for Public Health Education.)

Women who have been in jail are at increased risk of acquiring HIV when they are in the community. Nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis (nPEP) reduces HIV transmission following high-risk behaviors and is an effective HIV prevention strategy. The authors designed a 15-minute interactive educational program to increase inmates' knowledge of nPEP. Before the program, participants self-reported high HIV risk yet low risk perception and lack of nPEP awareness. After the program, nPEP knowledge scores increased by 40% regardless of demographic or HIV-risk characteristics. This study demonstrates that a brief, easy-to-deliver educational intervention can be carried out in a jail, is effective at raising awareness of both HIV risk and nPEP, and may be useful for others seeking to increase use of this prevention strategy for high-risk women during incarceration., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Background: Prisoners experience significantly worse health than the general population. This review examines the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of peer interventions in prison settings., Methods: A mixed methods systematic review of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness studies, including qualitative and quantitative synthesis was conducted. In addition to grey literature identified and searches of websites, nineteen electronic databases were searched from 1985 to 2012. Study selection criteria were:, Population: Prisoners resident in adult prisons and children resident in Young Offender Institutions (YOIs)., Intervention: Peer-based interventions., Comparators: Review questions 3 and 4 compared peer and professionally led approaches., Outcomes: Prisoner health or determinants of health; organisational/process outcomes; views of prison populations., Study Designs: Quantitative, qualitative and mixed method evaluations., Results: Fifty-seven studies were included in the effectiveness review and one study in the cost-effectiveness review; most were of poor methodological quality. Evidence suggested that peer education interventions are effective at reducing risky behaviours, and that peer support services are acceptable within the prison environment and have a positive effect on recipients, practically or emotionally. Consistent evidence from many, predominantly qualitative, studies, suggested that being a peer deliverer was associated with positive effects. There was little evidence on cost-effectiveness of peer-based interventions., Conclusions: There is consistent evidence from a large number of studies that being a peer worker is associated with positive health; peer support services are also an acceptable source of help within the prison environment and can have a positive effect on recipients. Research into cost-effectiveness is sparse., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO ref: CRD42012002349.

Background: Children with incarcerated mothers experience adverse health, social and emotional circumstances, and are a particularly vulnerable group. Mothers in custody face significant challenges in parenting their children., Aims: The study aimed to identify participants' views on impact of a parenting support programme for incarcerated mothers in NSW Australia., Methods: The mixed-methods study examined 134 responses to open and closed questions on a questionnaire for programme participants., Results: Participants found the programme worthwhile, engaging and relevant. It enhanced their parenting knowledge and confidence. Open-ended responses highlighted program elements which participants valued, specifically support for their parenting role in complicated circumstances, greater understanding of child development and perspectives, and practical strategies for facilitating connections with their children during their incarceration., Conclusions: The study informs nurses working with women who have experienced incarceration and their children, both in custodial and community settings.

Purpose: This study identifies the healthcare education needs of incarcerated women in a state corrections facility., Methods: This was a naturalistic qualitative study. Focus groups included two groups of adult women incarcerated in a state corrections facility. One group consisted of women housed in maximum security, and one group consisted of women housed in medium security. Data were analyzed using a constant comparison approach., Findings: Three guiding questions provided the foundation for the identified themes. Themes included six healthcare education topics important to incarcerated women and three related to health education strategies best suited for incarcerated women., Conclusions: Trust, respect and empowerment are key concepts in educating incarcerated women about their personal health and health of their families., Clinical Relevance: With over 200,000 women incarcerated in the United States today, creating policies and practices that focus on the healthcare education needs of women that are woman focused may enhance knowledge and skills and may ultimately lead to reduced recidivism., (© 2014 Sigma Theta Tau International.)

The prevalence rate of HIV infection in jails and prisons is approximately 5 times the rate in the U.S. general population. The authors surveyed state prison officials to assess HIV testing and HIV prevention policies--specifically voluntary testing, group HIV prevention counseling, and peer education--in the 50 states and to determine whether those policies are associated with the characteristics of the state and its prison population.

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS infection among prisoners is 3 to 4 times higher than in the U.S. population. Given that one in seven HIV-positive Americans pass through a correctional facility every year, the criminal justice system is in an ideal position to aggressively implement effective HIV education, treatment, and prevention. This study examines barriers to the effective delivery of these services and evaluates differences in risk perception among nearly 600 female and male inmates. The results underscore gender differences in Perceived Risk of Seroconversion and Exposure to HIV Education, suggesting that jails should implement gender-specific HIV prevention programming.

The most widely implemented offending behaviour programme in the United Kingdom was Enhanced Thinking Skills (ETS), a cognitive-behavioural group intervention that aimed to develop participant's general cognitive skills. A new offending behaviour programme has been developed to replace ETS: the Thinking Skills Programme (TSP). This study reports an evaluation of the effectiveness of TSP using psychometric assessments. Phasing of the two programmes created an opportunity to compare the two programmes consecutively. Forty participants, 20 from each programme, completed a range of psychometric measures to examine cognition, attitudes, and thinking styles. Analysis of pre- and post-programme psychometric results indicated that participants of TSP demonstrated improvements on 14 of the 15 scales, 9 of which were statistically significant. Effect sizes between pre-post results were generally greater for TSP than ETS, demonstrating that TSP had a more positive impact on the thinking styles and attitudes of participants than the ETS programme.

This study sought to assess the rate of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and associated risk factors in young adults 18-28 years of age who were incarcerated in the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. The majority of participants reported injection drug use and engaged in high-risk behaviors such as needle sharing. Despite having these risk factors and believing themselves to be at risk, the majority of youths reported no prior HCV testing. Correctional facilities present a unique opportunity to detect HCV infection and provide risk reduction education to young adults, the population with the highest rates of new infections in the US. Seventy-two incarcerated individuals with a history of drug use were approached to participate in the study; 68 completed the screening and interview. The rate of HCV infection among adults <30 years of age and incarcerated at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections in 2011 was high (24%). In 1998, the rate of HCV among inmates <30 years of age at the same facility was only 11.4%. These data follow the same increase in HCV infection rates among young adults observed in non-incarcerated young adults across the nation. HCV is the leading cause of liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma in the US. Despite a decline and leveling in HCV incidence nationwide, alarming increases in HCV rates among adolescents and young adults have been reported during the period between the years 1992 and 2005. This disquieting epidemic is attributable to injection drug use amongst young adults.