Caring For an Inmate Dallas county jail is a 6,500 bed facility located near downtown Dallas, Texas. This county jail houses inmates for crimes such as criminal trespassing to capitol murder. Within this population you’ll find that most of the individuals are in need of some kind of medical and mental health attention. This care ranges from chronic care diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and seizures, to more complex diseases like sickle cell. You also encounter inmates that have acute medical concerns as well such as altercations between inmates, slips and falls, and self-harm. Although, the inmates are jailed for crimes, there is still a medical need and requirement that has to be met regarding this population. Although a daunting one, The medical team is dedicated to providing quality health care for these patients. Inmates who test positive for pregnancy are referred to an obstetrician staffed at the jail. These females are followed throughout their stay at Dallas county jail. They are given prenatal vitamins and seen at the appropriate intervals guided by ACOG guidelines. Those pregnant inmates that are high risk are referred to Parkland Hospital’s Ob complications department and are followed for high risk pregnancy. Third trimester inmates are watched closely and educated on stages of labor. Although, it is not ideal for babies to be born at Dallas county jail, there are times when babies will be delivered at the jail. For these instances preparation is made, a birthing kit and qualified nursing staff are available to ensure a safe From chronic health problems, emergencies, to pregnant inmates, Dallas County Jail is equipped to care for any health condition, a lot of times providing better health care than what the inmates would receive outside of jail. The process is organized and leaves little room for error. This population could easily be overlooked, but by implementing an effective process, the inmates at Dallas County jail are able to receive quality medical care while there and be equipped with resources and education to continue their care when
A huge factor in the prevalence of mental health problems in United States prison and jail inmates is believed to be due to the policy of deinstitutionalization. Many of the mentally ill were treated in publicly funded hospitals up until the 1960’s. Due to budget cuts and underfunding of community mental health services we ...
Plaintiff is the father and personal representative of Vernard A. Jones, Jr. (“Jones”), now deceased, a former inmate at Muskegon County Jail. Jones remained detained at the jail as a pretrial detainee from September 24, 2004, until May 5, 2005. Initially, Jones's self-reported weight was 170 pounds, and his height was 5′11″ (Jones v. Muskegon County, 2009). On Jones's Inmate Intake Form, he specified that he had a sexually-transmitted disease but otherwise reported no health problems. Approximately one month later, Jones completed a health survey form in which he likewise did not report any significant medical issues. Within the next few months, however, Jones began to experience significant weight loss and serious gastro intestinal problems. Jones submitted medical request forms to the medical numerous times. (Jones v. Muskegon County, 2009)
I chose to analyze a report made against a county jail being that many correctional facilities lack the adequate resources to care for detainees needing mental health treatment. The allegations made against Henry County Jail was that a detainee's mental health needs were not met and they were required to pay a copay to see a physician, nurse, or access their prescribed medications. Another allegation was that the detainee and fellow inmates on suicide watch were placed in unstable conditions. The complaint stated that the detainee was placed in a cell with two other individuals who were also on suicide watch and were denied medications. It also explained that these detainees were required to sleep on a concrete floor for three months being
Roger is at the Sage County Jail after being arrested the previous night for a minor offense. This has become a problem throughout the past Roger has been several times before. Roger has a past history of involving involuntary commitment on mental health issues. He told the jail staff that he commits crime to get sent to jail for a warm place to sleep, for a meal, and to get his meds. He is homeless and has no medical insurance or regular health care provider. Roger occasionally gets into fights with other jail inmates, has threatened suicide, and yells at the custody staff. Because of the minor nature of the crime, Roger will likely be released in 24 hours. Rogers meds are very expensive for the jail officials it costs the jail $200 per day to house Roger. So
...rgens, R. Stöver, H. Nikogosian, H. (2007) Health in Prisons: A WHO Guide to the Essentials in Prison Health. WHO Regional Office Europe.
The US Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) is used to attribute the rapid expansion of the US inmate population to the political influence of private prison companies and businesses that supply goods and services to government prison agencies. The prison industry complex is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States and its investors are on Wall Street. After spending $5.2 billion on prison construction over the past fifteen years, California now has not only the largest but also the most overcrowded prison system in the United States. The state Department of Corrections estimates that it will need to spend an additional $6.1 billion on prisons over the next decade just to maintain the current level of overcrowding. At least 37
Unfortunately, this rush to develop and implement preventive measures has resulted in a degree of polarization which has hindered progress towards implementation of effective prevention measures. Prisons and jails offer uniquely important opportunities for improving disease control in the community by providing health care to disease prevention program to a large and concentrated population of individuals at high risk for disease. Inmates often have little interaction with the health care system before and after being incarcerated. (U.S. News & World Report) The bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reported that in 1999, HIV/AIDS in prisons and jails was a growing problem in American correctional facilities. The AIDS rate in US prisons was five times the rate of general population. (Society. 2003)
While, equality of healthcare provision in America continues to be a leading topic of debate. Healthcare rights for incarcerated persons are largely absent from this national conversation. Healthcare affordability and accessibility to quality treatment, medicine and doctors remains a priority across all ages, races, genders and political parties. Because “the state” is given the power of autonomy from the provision of law under the federal government, it should be the responsibility of “the state” to provide adequate healthcare services and treatment to persons who are incarcerated.
For many prisons there facilities aren’t adequate for the pregnant women that are being held there. In a state survey it was found that less then 50% of facilities have written policies specifically relating to medical care for pregnant women and only 48% offer prenatal services. Only 21% offer prenatal counseling and 15% offer counseling to help mothers find suitable placements for their infants after birth. Women that are in the system do not receive regular pelvic exams or sonograms, that they receive little to no education about prenatal care and nutrition, that they have the inability to alter their diets to suit their changing caloric needs, and that they could be shackled during delivery and can not have labor support from family members. There are many reasons why pregnant women should have alternatives.
Any given state has to provide medical care to its prisoners regardless of the reason the inmate is incarcerated. In an article by the Medical Ethics Advisor, Richard Demme, an associate professor and chair of the Ethics Committee at the University of Rochester, NY Medical Center states, “the U.S. Supreme Court has determined that withholding medical treatment from those who are incarcerated is cruel and unusual punishment, because prisoners are not allowed to seek healthcare for themselves. The court did not say which treatme...
In perspective of the ones with mental illness who are confined to incarceration are as follows:
To Health Service In Correctional Evironments: Inmates Health Care Measurement, Satisfaction and Access In Prisons.” Howard Journal of Criminal Justice 50.3. (2011): 262-274. Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 May 2014.
...sist either an inmate or a fellow jailer when they need help. Safety is a priority. Psychiatrists are there to diagnose and treat the inmates as best as possible. They are a big part of the facility. Furthermore, there are politics in this jail just like any other jail. Not every unit or floor has politics, but if the floor or unit does, then inmates have to follow it or they will get beat up by the rest of the inmates. Inmates like homosexuals and child molesters get special housing because the system knows that if they are left with the general population of inmates then they will be vulnerable. Last but not least, the cylinder type design of the jail is very convenient to keep a look at all the inmates from the control room. The objective is took be able to have an eye on all inmates all the time; therefore, achieving control and safety over the facility.
Plata revealed, overcrowding in many correctional facilities raises serious health concerns, even more on account of overstretched health services than the potential for infectious disease outbreaks” (Dumont et al.). A majority of the incarcerated comes from low-income communities where the population is predominantly nonwhite. These inmates are more likely to be underserved for medical issues. Due to this, the mental and physical health of inmates is significantly worse than that of the general public. HIV rates are approximately five times higher in prisons than in the general population. Many of the inmates infected with HIV are at risk for hepatitis C due to injection of substances. These prisoners are nine to ten times more likely than non-incarcerated people to get hepatitis C virus (HCV). Many prisoners that are infected with both HIV and HCV are more likely to also have other diseases than people infected solely with HIV. Early syphilis was found to be about 1000 times more prevalent in incarcerated women than women in the general public. Women’s predominance in prostitution also increases their risk for infectious disease transmission. This is due to the fact that many prostitutes are involved in prostitution to support an addiction. Chronic diseases are also spread throughout correctional facilities and possibly at more advanced stages. This is likely to be caused from the aging of the inmates and the rise of
However, the impacts the have on improving these lifestyle attributes differ between different demographics. The academic journal, “Vulnerable and Cultural Perspectives for Nursing Care in Correctional Systems” describes the different care that is provided in prisons. Anita Hufft and Michelina M. Kite are both registered nurses which make them certified to write about this topic. Correctional nurses provide care for women who have increasingly became the most prevalent group in jails. As describes by Hufft & Kite. (2003), women are more susceptible to health concerns involving poor self-care, histories of physical and sexual abuse, high drug use and high fat and carbohydrate diets. Because of these factors, women are also more likely to develop a trusting relationship with staff, including correctional nurses. Another group that is prevalent in the care of correctional nurses is Juveniles. The need for juvenile nursing care is increasing due to the increase of juveniles in correctional settings. Correctional nurses help juveniles who are involved in drug and gun use, gang involvement, and who are in need of aiding mental health problems. Many inmates have chronic illness, which is an evident group in prisons. HIV and AIDS (DEFINE THESE AND CITE THE SOURCE) are the most common health problems in correctional settings. These two health problems are often dealt with by