Assessing the Health Needs of Offenders Residing in the Community: a mixed-methods approach to reducing criminal behaviour.

It is well known that criminal justice issues and health needs are clearly interwoven (Keay, 2014). However, despite this there is very little published evidence on the health needs of offenders in community settings. In 2017 - 2018, a health needs assessment (HNA) was undertaken in Derbyshire to explore the needs of community offenders and to identify the barriers they experience in accessing health and social care. This article summarises its key findings, knowledge of which have the potential to improve the understanding of the health needs of community offenders, and ensure that these are adequately addressed. This is an important part of the prevention of further offending (Ministry of Justice Analytical Series, 2013), benefitting not only the individuals at risk of offending or reoffending, but also their families, communities and the wider society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]