Medicine and Mass Incarceration: Education and Advocacy in the New York City Jail System

Abstract

The United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the world. The scale of mass incarceration ensures that almost all practicing physicians will treat formerly incarcerated patients. Yet the majority of physicians receive little training on this topic. In this paper, we will outline the need for expanded education on the interface between incarceration and health, describe initiatives taking place within the New York City jail system and nationally, and describe future directions for curriculum development. We conclude by highlighting the important role health care workers can play in transforming our criminal justice system and ending mass incarceration.

Motivation and training needs of prison healthcare professionals: findings from a qualitative study

“…A prison is a particular environment where healthcare providers may face distinct challenges. Physicians working in somatic fields, psychologists, psychiatrists and nurses would benefit from an early exposure to the prison environment [ 29 , 30 ], or at least from additional training in prison medicine [ 6 ] in order to obtain a more realistic view of prison medicine and public health needs in this field. Prison health professionals would profit from continued education and training geared towards addressing the needs of an ageing population with multiple chronic conditions [ 7 , 13 , 31 ].…”

Justice for Incarcerated Moms Act of 2021: Reflections and recommendations

“…While academic-correctional health partnerships exist and we support calls for expanding partnerships between academic health centers and prisons, 49 , 50 such partnerships must attend to the deep history of structural racism embedded in the healthcare system, 51 – 54 especially as it relates to the care and treatment of Black and Ingenious pregnant people. 52 , 55 Giftos et al 56 have emphasized the important role that health care providers have in transforming the criminal legal system and ending mass incarceration. We recognize the great potential that health care providers can have in improving the quality of care for pregnant and postpartum people during periods of incarceration and we urge them to see their essential role in collaborating with directly impacted people to support advocacy efforts aimed at transforming the system altogether.…”

Collaborative Healthcare in Incarcerated Settings

“…These concerns can be addressed through continuing workplace education of healthcare professionals to elevate skillsets, policies establishing minimum standards of healthcare, and legislative reform to appropriately compensate employees (Min et al, 2012). For example, to recruit limited medical staff, more can be done to educate and interest students in the health effects of mass incarnation by developing digital curricula that can be rapidly distributed as educational material (Giftos et al, 2017). The Division of Correctional Health Services of the New York City Public Health System, Health + Hospitals has been shown to successfully do this by hiring a director of clinical education that manages student involvement within the jail system, improves partnerships with academic health centers, and formalizes the programs commitment to public education (Giftos et al, 2017).…”

“…For example, to recruit limited medical staff, more can be done to educate and interest students in the health effects of mass incarnation by developing digital curricula that can be rapidly distributed as educational material (Giftos et al, 2017). The Division of Correctional Health Services of the New York City Public Health System, Health + Hospitals has been shown to successfully do this by hiring a director of clinical education that manages student involvement within the jail system, improves partnerships with academic health centers, and formalizes the programs commitment to public education (Giftos et al, 2017). In addition, to retain an already limited but highly sought-after medical staff, more practical changes can be made to incarcerated setting policies so that employees feel more valued.…”