Food and penal legitimacy in women's prisons

Trabajo a publicarse en Rafael Di Tella, Sebastian Edwards and Ernesto Schargordsky (eds.). Crime economics: lessons for Latin America . NBER, Chicago University Press.

An analysis of managerialism and performance in English and Welsh male prisons

The purpose of this paper is to explore the association between the quality of prison life and mental health among prisoners and the occurrence of violence. In total, 203 prisoners from Dubrava Correctional Center in Kosovo participated. Data on background characteristics of the prisoners, quality of prison life, mental health symptoms and exposure to physical, psychological and sexual violence were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data were analyzed using general linear models (GLM) and manual backwards model search with step-wise exclusion. The GLM analysis showed a significant negative association between anxiety symptom load (-1.4), physical violence (-1.5) and psychological violence (-1.9), and quality of prison life. Furthermore, it appeared that prisoners rating of quality of life (QoL) increased with time among prisoners not exposed to violence, while this was not seen among prisoners exposed to violence. Finally, there was an inverse association between the dimensions of respect, fairness, humanity and good staff/prisoner relations, and the proportion of prisoners exposed to violence. An environment with higher levels of respect, fairness, humanity and good relations between staff and prisoners was associated with lower levels of violence. Hence, a prison that focuses on promoting QoL and good mental health among prisoners will show lower levels of violence, thereby making the prison a more tolerable place for the prisoners and a better working environment for prison staff.

An evaluation of the policy of incentives and earned privileges (IEP) in prisons in England and Wales found mainly negative effects on prisoner behaviour and perceptions of fairness and relationships with staff. Some of these negative findings were due to the newly punitive climate in which the policy was introduced and the subsequent ethic underlying new discretionary practices. The evaluation illustrated the significance of prison staff discretion, relationships with prisoners, and fairness, to evaluations of prison life. A key finding of the research was that prison officers deploy their authority through relationships with prisoners. They use the rules when relationships do not work, and this is one of the reasons for the centrality of staff prisoner relationships to prison life. IEP is an important component of contemporary prison regimes but needs to be administered fairly, individually, and constructively. The author concludes that policies shape prison life, often in their impact on sensibilities rather than in intended ways. Certain types of political policy action pose huge risks to prison quality and stability, in ways that Ministers may not realize. Responsible policy‐making is critical in relation to the use of prison and the tone of prison life.

Preventing self-harm and suicide in prisoners: job half done

Introduction: A number of studies published by the World Trade Center Health Registry (Registry) document the prevalence of injuries sustained by victims of the World Trade Center Disaster (WTCD) on 9/11. Injury occurrence during or in the immediate aftermath of this event has been shown to be a risk factor for long-term adverse physical and mental health status. More recent reports of ongoing physical health and mental health problems and overall poor quality of life among survivors led us to undertake this qualitative study to explore the long-term impact of having both disaster-related injuries and peri-event traumatic exposure on quality of life in disaster survivors. Methods: Semi-structured, in-depth individual telephone interviews were conducted with 33 Registry enrollees who reported being injured on 9/11/01. Topics included: extent and circumstance of the injury(ies), description of medical treatment for injury, current health and functional status, and lifestyle changes resulting from the WTCD. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and inductively open-coded for thematic analysis.Results: Six themes emerged with respect to long term recovery and quality of life: concurrent experience of injury with exposure to peri-event traumatic exposure (e.g., witnessing death or destruction, perceived life threat, etc.); sub-optimal quality and timeliness of short- and long-term medical care for the injury reported and mental health care; poor ongoing health status, functional limitations, and disabilities; adverse impact on lifestyle; lack of social support; and adverse economic impact. Many study participants, especially those reporting more serious injuries, also reported self-imposed social isolation, an inability to participate in or take enjoyment from previously enjoyable leisure and social activities and greatly diminished overall quality of life.Discussion: This study provided unique insight into the long-term impact of disasters on survivors. Long after physical injuries have healed, some injured disaster survivors report having serious health and mental health problems, economic problems due to loss of livelihood, limited sources of social support, and profound social isolation. Strategies for addressing the long-term health problems of disaster survivors are needed in order to support recovery.

This article examines practitioner understandings and implementation of gender-responsive support within female prisons in England and Wales in the context of a growing emphasis on effective deportation of foreign national prisoners. Drawing on a case study of female prisoners from Central and Eastern states of the European Union (EU), we argue that the aims of gender-responsivity, designed to address women's gendered vulnerabilities to support their re-entry in the UK, are pragmatically re-shaped to accommodate the uncertainty surrounding their immigration status. We show how in practice, gender-responsive support functions at best to ‘manage’ gendered needs of women who are ‘not of interest’ to immigration authorities, and at worst to legitimate exclusion by side-lining vulnerabilities of women deemed as having ‘no right to remain’ in the UK. This occurs in the context of limited access to legal redress to challenge deportation decisions, unevenly spread resources in the female prison estate, and practitioners’ occupational cultures which emphasise paternalistic valuations of female foreign national prisoners’ femininity. We locate the findings in criminological debates about ‘gendering of borders’ and conclude with a reflection on the implications for advocacy at the time of increasingly restrictive immigration controls following the UK's exit from the EU.

The research study titled “An exploratory study to determine the quality of life (QoL) and factors leading to imprisonment among women prisoners in a selected women prison” was based on the objectives; to determine the quality of life of women prisoners, to explore the factors leading to imprisonment, to find the association between the QoL of women prisoners and selected socio demographic and clinical variables, to find the association between the QoL and domains of quality of life of women prisoners and to find the association between the QoL of women prisoners and factors leading to imprisonment. Survey approach with an exploratory design was adopted and was conducted in a selected women prison. The conceptual framework was based on the Quality of Life model at the Centre for Health Promotion, University of Toronto. The study had primary outcome variables as quality of life and factors leading to imprisonment among women prisoners. Seventy samples were selected by purposive sampling technique. The tools used for the study were validated, pretested and the reliability also was established. The major findings of the study revealed that 43 (61.4%) participants have good quality of life. Among seventy participants 21 (30%) of them had poor QoL in psychological domain. Thirty seven (52.9%) of the participants had good QoL score in physical domain and 36 (51.4%) of them had medium QoL score in psychological domain. Majority 51 (72.9%) of the samples had good QoL score in social domain and 46 (65.7%) of them had good QoL score in environmental domain. Majority i.e. 61 (87.1%) of them had good QoL score in spiritual domain. Among the 70 participants, 10 (14.3%) of the participants had poverty as the leading reason for committing crime, followed by 8 (11.4%) having physical abuse and another 8 (11.4%) having family breakdown as the factor leading to imprisonment. Among the socio demographic variables; age of women prisoners has statistically significant association with the QoL of women prisoners (p<0.05). Among the clinical variables; Blood pressure and Lipid profile (Total serum cholesterol) have statistically significant association with quality of life (p=0.048). Physical, psychological and social domains have statistically significant association with the QoL of women prisoners (p<0.05). Factors leading to imprisonment has statistically significant association with the QoL of women prisoners (p <0.05).

The correctional institution is one of the institutions that provide narcotics rehabilitation services, stipulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Law and Human Rights Number 12 of 2017 concerning the Implementation of Narcotics Rehabilitation Services for Prisoners and Correctional Assistants (WBP). This study aims to analyze the effect of rehabilitation services on prisoners' quality of life in prison at Class II A Narcotics Prison, Jakarta. Researchers used a quantitative approach using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire with a total of 493 WBP of secondary data. The data analysis technique used factor analysis and multiple linear regression. The researcher also conducted interviews with two prisoners to see an overview of rehabilitation services that could affect life quality. The results showed a significant and positive influence between psychological health and quality of life of 0.085, social relations with quality of life of 0.114, and a significant favorable influence between physical health and quality of life of 0.045. Meanwhile, the environmental relationship variable does not statistically affect the quality of life. There is a significant simultaneous effect of these four variables on prisoners' quality of life who participate in rehabilitation services at the Class II-A Narcotics Prison, Jakarta.

British Journal of MidwiferyVol. 24, No. 6 CommentCaring for perinatal women in prison: How the launch of the Birth Charter will help women and staffNaomi DelapNaomi DelapSearch for more papers by this authorNaomi DelapPublished Online:2 Jun 2016https://doi.org/10.12968/bjom.2016.24.6.390AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Abbott L (2015) A Pregnant Pause: Expecting in the Prison Estate. In: Baldwin L, ed. Mothering Justice: Working with Mothers in Criminal and Social Justice Settings. Waterside Press, Hook: 185–210 Google ScholarAlbertson K, O'Keeffe C, Lessing-Turner G, Burke C, Renfrew MJ (2012) Tackling health inequalities through developing evidence-based policy and practice with childbearing women in prison: a consultation. Project Report. Sheffield Hallham University, Sheffield Google ScholarBirth Companions (2016) Birth Charter for women in prisons in England and Wales. Birth Companions, London Google ScholarCorston J, Britain G (2007) The Corston report. A report by Baroness Jean Corston of a review of women with particular vulnerabilities in the criminal justice system: the need for a distinct, radically different, visibly-led, strategic, proportionate, holistic, woman-centred, integrated approach. Home Office, London Google ScholarKline R, Martin B (2013) The NHS is at a crossroads after the Francis Report. http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/30566 (accessed 23 May 2016) Google ScholarNational Offender Management Service (2015) National Security Framework – EXTERNAL ESCORTS NSF – External prisoner movement. http://tinyurl.com/ztq3xh6 (accessed 23 May 2016) Google ScholarRenfrew MJ, McFadden A, Bastos MH, Campbell J, Channon AA, Cheung NF, Silva DR, Downe S8, Kennedy HP, Malata A, McCormick F, Wick L, Declercq E (2014) Midwifery and quality care: findings from a new evidence-informed framework for maternal and newborn care. Lancet 384(9948): 1129–45. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60789-3 Crossref, Google ScholarRoyal College of Midwives (2011) Caring for Childbearing Prisoners: Position Statement. http://tinyurl.com/zlutrdp (accessed 20 May 2016) Google ScholarRoyal College of Midwives (2014) Women in Custody: Position Statement. http://tinyurl.com/hcwnd7r (accessed 20 May 2016) Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byMaternity care for women in prisons in England and Wales11 July 2016 | British Journal of Midwifery, Vol. 24, No. 7 2 June 2016Volume 24Issue 6ISSN (print): 0969-4900ISSN (online): 2052-4307 Metrics History Published online 2 June 2016 Published in print 2 June 2016 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

National Health Service England (NHSE) plans to eliminate Hepatitis C (HCV) in England by 2025. Although HCV is the focus of this specific NHSE programme, there is also an opportunity...

The objective of the study was to examine the association between overall and health-related quality of life and smoking in men and women of discrete smoking groups in Finland. The design was a Health 2000 Survey, conducted in Finland 2000--2001. The setting and participants were a two-stage, stratified, nationally representative cluster sample that comprised 8,028 persons aged 30 or over living in mainland Finland. Health-related quality of life was measured by the 15D questionnaire; and overall quality of life was assessed by a single question measure capturing the respondent's own perception and estimation of his/her quality of life. The present study showed that daily smokers had both lower health-related and overall quality of life than never-smokers among the Finnish adult population. Health-related quality of life profiles showed that daily smokers did worse than never-smokers in a considerable number of the health dimensions. The effects of smoking were observed not only through health: the daily smokers registered significantly lower ratings of overall quality of life compared with never-smokers, too. Both the health-related and overall quality of life of ex-smokers approached those of never-smokers. The results of the present study suggest that improved health is not the only benefit of smoking cessation; better quality of life and more fulfilling everyday living can also be expected. As the major health consequences of smoking usually manifest themselves only after several years of smoking, both health-related and overall quality of life measurements could be used as an intervention tool for motivating people to quit.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the moderating effect of having vs. not having a and quality of life. In-person interviews were conducted with 55 male and 64 female inmates from the Topas Penitentiary (Spain). Higher levels of social loneliness and lower levels of sexual satisfaction were associated with lower levels of quality of life. In addition, the interaction between sexual satisfaction and romantic partner status was significant. Higher levels of sexual satisfaction were associated with higher levels of quality of life only for the group without a partner. These findings support a "bad is stronger than good" principle and indicate the detrimental aspects that can be associated with not having a satisfactory sexual life while incarcerated.

Addressing a significant gap in the knowledge of female Muslim prisoners’ religiosity, this paper describes and explains the gendered impact of incarceration on the religiosity of Muslim female and male offenders. Based on quantitative and qualitative data collected in ten prisons, including a male and female prison in England and a male and female prison in Switzerland, the authors show that prison tends to intensify the religiosity of Muslim men and reduce the religiosity of Muslim women. In explanation of this, the authors argue that, at the individual level, the feelings of guilt at the absence of family, the absence of high-status religious forms of gender and feelings of trauma and victimhood impact negatively on Muslim female offenders’ religiosity. At the institutional level, female Muslim prisoners, being a small minority, do not mobilise a powerful shared religious identity and chaplaincy provision—including provision of basic religious services—is patchier for Muslim women than it is for men and often does not take into account the specific needs of female prisoners.

Quality of life in prostate cancer patients.