Increase In Prison Population Research Articles

The Penrose hypothesis in the second half of the 20th century: investigating the relationship between psychiatric bed numbers and the prison population in England between 1960 and 2018-2019.

NHS Psychiatric beds comprise mental illness and intellectual disability beds. Penrose hypothesised that the number of psychiatric in-patients was inversely related to prison population size. To ascertain whether the Penrose hypothesis held true in England between 1960 and 2018-2019. A time-series analysis explored the association between total prison population and NHS psychiatric beds; this was also tested for the male and female prison populations, using non-psychiatric beds as a comparator. Associations were explored with time lags of up to 20 years. Linear regression was conducted to estimate the size of the effect of bed closures. NHS psychiatric beds decreased 93% and the prison population increased 208%. A strong (r =-0.96) and highly significant negative correlation between these changes was found. Annual reduction in psychiatric bed numbers was associated with an increase in prison population, strongest at a lag of 10 years. The closure of mental illness and intellectual disability beds was associated with increases in female prisoners 10 years later. The only significant explanatory variable for the increase in male prison population was intellectual disability bed reduction. The Penrose hypothesis held true between 1960 and 2018-2019 in England: psychiatric bed closures were associated with increases in prison population up to 10 years later. For every 100 psychiatric beds closed, there were 36 more prisoners 10 years later: 3 more female prisoners and 33 more male prisoners. Our results suggest that the dramatic increase in the female prison population may relate to the closure of NHS beds.

Prevalence and factors associated with ocular morbidity among prisoners of Luzira prison (Uganda)

BackgroundGlobally, ocular morbidity has emerged as a major public concern with at least 2.2 billion people having vision impairment or blindness. Prisoners (inmates) tend to have limited access to health care especially eye health, and as a result some conditions may go undiagnosed or mismanaged. With the increasing prison population in Uganda and in the face of limited facilities, little is known about the prevalence and factors associated with ocular morbidity amongst inmates of Luzira prison.MethodThis was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on inmates of Luzira prison. The study included both male (334) and female (33) inmates using the proportionate stratified random sampling. Data on social demographic characteristics, medical, imprisonment factors and ocular assessment was collected using a questionnaire. All complete data was entered using an Epidata version 3.1 entry template, and logistic regression was used to determine associated factors.ResultsOverall, a total of 367 inmates were examined consisting of 334 (91%) males and 33(8.9%) females. The male-to-female ratio was 10:1 with ages ranging from 18 to 76 years. The mean age being 39 years (SD + 13.4) and the overall ocular morbidity was found to be 49%. The most common ocular morbidity included; presbyopia (27.4%), allergic conjunctivitis (19.6%) and cataracts (11.4%). Other disorders included; refractive errors, pterygia, optic atrophy and vitamin A deficiency. There was a statistically significant relationship between ocular morbidity and age (OR 11.96, CI 0.85–2.74), trauma (OR 5.21, CI 1.52–17.87), non-prison food (OR 0.45, CI 0.26–0.79).ConclusionThe prevalence of ocular morbidity among inmates was found to be high and significantly associated with age, trauma and having meals besides prison food. A fully functional eye unit established within the prison, and timely referral of complicated cases would help in offering quality eye services to the inmates.

The evolution of norms within a society of captives

How do norms evolve when people have no choice to opt out of social interactions? One example of such a setting is prison. Past research usually relies on ethnographic work to understand the emergence and maintenance of norms among prisoners. We instead use this rich qualitative literature to inform an agent-based model to demonstrate how norms evolve in response to demographic changes in prison. In the model, agents play a one-shot, though possibly repeated, prisoner’s dilemma with other agents. Agents lack the ability to decline to play with their selected opponent. We consider tag-mediated play and norm enforcement as mechanisms to facilitate prisoner cooperation and to examine the effects of increasing prison populations and increasing ethnic heterogeneity on the maintenance of cooperative norms. We also calibrate the model with empirical data from the California prison system. Parameters of the model correspond to demographic changes between 1951 and 2016, where the size of the prison population increased 14-fold and ethnic heterogeneity by 30%. Simulation results show that such changes dramatically decrease levels of cooperation and compliance. These results are consistent with the actual observed breakdown of the cooperative norms in California prisons.

A “miséria da prisão” e a “prisão da miséria” no Brasil contemporâneo

O cenário atual, demarcado pela crise capitalista, ascensão do neoliberalismo e aprofundamento das desigualdades sociais, demonstra a hipertrofia do Estado penal e o aumento da população prisional brasileira. A partir da criminologia crítica marxista e da análise de dados sobre o sistema prisional no país, buscamos problematizar como tem se configurado esse espaço e o perfil de seus internos. Além das precárias condições das prisões e da permanente violação de direitos, tem-se uma criminalização da miséria, tendo em vista o perfil dos internos, bem como se revela o caráter seletivo-racial, com uma maioria de jovens negras e negros, reafirmando o racismo estrutural ao qual é submetida essa população. Exigem-se, assim, alternativas para além das prisões, com a construção de outras formas de organização social que não reproduzam as desigualdades que a prisão pretende controlar. Palavras-chave: Capitalismo. Estado Penal. Sistema Prisional. Racismo. Brasil.

Imprisonment and Terrorism

ABSTRACT While policymakers frequently praise the impact of law enforcement for addressing the threat of terrorism, several cases suggest that the imprisonment of terrorists and potential perpetrators may actually lead to (more) radicalization and, ultimately, a higher risk of terrorism. We take systematic stock of the arguments linking terrorism with incarceration and analyze newly collected data on worldwide prison populations. The results from quantitative analysis highlight that an increase in prison population is correlated with a decline in the number of terrorist attacks, in particular its domestic form. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of this finding for academic and policy circles.

O cárcere brasileiro e o perfil social do sistema prisional do Maranhão

O Brasil elevou sua taxa de aprisionamento em aproximadamente 200% nos últimos 20 anos. O presente trabalho tem dois objetivos: primeiro, o de caracterizar o sistema carcerário do Brasil por estado, a partir da análise de indicadores fornecidos pelo Ministério da Justiça e Departamento Penitenciário Nacional – DEPEN. Segundo traçar o perfil socioespacial das unidades prisionais do Estado do Maranhão com base nos dados do Tribunal de Justiça e Secretaria Estadual de Administração Penitenciária - SEAP. Em consonância com outros estudos, nossos resultados apontam para o “buraco negro” que se tornou o sistema prisional brasileiro. Já no Maranhão, o aumento progressivo da população carcerária deve-se mais a uma política de repressão e criminalização à pobreza, do que a uma política capaz de reduzir as ocorrências criminais letais ou não letais.

Women Prisons in North-Eastern Thailand: How Well Do They Meet International Human Rights Standards?

Thailand has one of the highest incarceration rates of women in the world. With an increasing prison population overall as well as an increasing proportion of female inmates, the country faces one of its most challenging tasks in penitentiary administration: reforms to its legal landscape and its correctional practices in line with international standards. A response to such a crisis is to undertake a prison evaluation project to ensure proper implementation of the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (also known as the ‘Bangkok Rules’). The primary objective of this research article is to assess and identify a prison model that can inspire the development of other prison facilities, while supporting a firm commitment to maintain and improve the status of current model facilities.

Depression and associated factors among prisoners in Bahir Dar Prison, Ethiopia

BackgroundGlobally there is a rapid increase in prison population, and one out of nine inmates suffers from mental disorders like depression. In Ethiopia, although a mental health strategy is in place, little attention is given to prisoners and studies which focus on depression among prisoners are still scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of depression and factors associated with it among prisoners.MethodAcross-sectional study was conducted from October 5 to 28, 2016 in Bahir Dar city. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 402 prisoners. Depression was measured using Patient Health Questionnaire, nine item version (PHQ-9) at a cut point of five. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, behavioral factors, perceived general health, and prison situation variables were collected using structured questionnaire. The data were collected by trained interviewers. SPSS version 20 was used to analyze the data. Binary logistic regression was used to identify predictors of depression.ResultThe prevalence of depression was 45.5% (95%CI: 40.5–50.5%). In the final model, having children [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.48; 95%CI: 1.60–3.83], health satisfaction rated as moderate [AOR = 3.20; 95%CI: 1.12–9.00] or dissatisfied [AOR = 1.63; 95%CI: 1.02–2.62] compared to satisfied, being sentenced for more than 5 years [AOR = 2.31; 95%CI: 1.01–5.25] or 1–5 years [AOR = 3.04; 95%CI: 1.2–7.71] were positively associated with depression.ConclusionHigh prevalence of depression was found among prisoners. Those with poor general health, long years of imprisonment, and concerns of children were the most vulnerable. Strengthening mental health services of prisons is critically required.

Probation system in Turkey: an analysis of a public policy formation using multiple streams framework

ABSTRACTTurkey initiated a major reform in its criminal justice system in 2005 and a probation system was officially created. This article analyses the probation policy formation, and development processes in Turkey using a multiple streams framework (MSF), as theorised by John Kingdon. Qualitative method is employed through archival records, governmental documents, and semi-structured interviews with key actors. Findings suggest that MSF explains the evolution of the probation system, which emerged in a critical time. However, although the probation system was set up to overcome the increasing prison population and alternative to incarceration, the number of prisoners and probationers have increased significantly. Today, Turkey has been ranked one of the largest prison population in the world. It is concluded that the penal policy has led to unintended consequences, and the penal system including probation practices has been dramatically politicised by the government.

Mental health services in Nigerian prisons: Lessons from a four-year review and the literature

Forensic and correctional mental health services may constitute an important “safety net” for the mentally ill and can ensure a degree of public protection. The increasing prison populations and shift towards humane care of the mentally ill that encompasses promotion of human rights, community re-integration, utilitarian safety and operation of internationally comparable mental health legislations underscore the need to appraise correctional psychiatry services, especially in resource-restricted settings. We present findings from a review of the literature and from mental health services provided to 179 inmates in two Nigerian urban prisons. The mental health services spanned four years and allowed a focus on important issues deserving urgent attention. The mean age of participants was 33.10 years (SD = 9.91) and majority (86.6%) were males. The common clinical diagnoses among participants were schizophrenia (49.3%) and mood disorders (29.6%), while approximately half (46.5%) used psychoactive substances. About one-fifth was evaluated as having high risk for violence-dangerousness based solely on clinical evaluation. The majority (88.4%) presented with a first episode of mental illness, and 14% had a prior correctional history. Gender, marital status and hallucinatory experiences were associated with a high risk of dangerousness (p < 0.05), while gender, use of psychoactive substances, previous history of mental disorders and depot medication indexed participants more likely to have a previous forensic history (p < 0.05). Considering the current findings, we advocate for inclusion of validated tools in risk assessments, multipronged intervention strategy to address the unmet needs of prisoners and improved attention to forensic and correctional mental health in relevant policy-law, service-planning, research and training.

The associations of poor psychiatric well-being among incarcerated men with injecting drug use histories in Victoria, Australia

BackgroundDual substance dependence and psychiatric and psychological morbidities are overrepresented in prison populations and associated with reoffending. In the context of an increasing prison population in Australia, investigating the needs of vulnerable people in prison with a dual diagnosis can help inform in-prison screening and treatment and improve prison and community service integration and continuation of care. In this study we quantified psychiatric well-being in a sample of people in prison with a history of injecting drug use in Victoria, Australia, and identified factors associated with this outcome.Methods and ResultsData for this paper come from baseline interviews undertaken in the weeks prior to release as part of a prospective cohort study of incarcerated men who reported regular injecting drug use prior to their current sentence. Eligible participants completed a researcher-administered structured questionnaire that canvassed a range of issues. Psychiatric well-being was assessed using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and potential correlates were included based on a review of the literature. Of the 317 men included for analyses, 139 were classified as experiencing current poor psychiatric well-being. In the multivariate model using modified logistic regression, history of suicide attempt (aOR = 1.36, 95%CI 1.03–1.78), two or more medical conditions (aOR = 1.87, 95%CI 1.30–2.67) and use of crystal methamphetamine in the week prior to their current sentence (aOR = 1.52, 95%CI 1.05–2.22) were statistically significantly associated with current poor psychiatric well-being.ConclusionsComprehensively addressing the health-related needs for this vulnerable population will require a multidisciplinary approach and enhancing opportunities to screen and triage people in prison for mental health and other potential co-occurring health issues will provide opportunities to better address individual health needs and reoffending risk.

Oral health, the perspective of the inmate and the context of vulnerability

AbstractIntroductionThe increase in prison populations is a phenomenon which is systematically rising throughout the world, leading to overcrowding of prisons, which has direct consequences on the health conditions of the individuals.ObjectiveTo explore the relationship among oral health, the life path and the perception of subjects in a vulnerability context.Material and methodThis is a qualitative study, developed with inmates in a State Penitentiary. To obtain and process the data, individual interviews and the Thematic Content Analysis technique were used.ResultThe interviewees showed limited perception of the process of oral health and disease fostered by the experiences of relatives and by knowledge acquired in the street or from the media. The life path in prison seemed to have little influence on this understanding. However, the prison experience influenced the oral condition of the inmates by facilitating access to dental service, oral hygiene materials and the improvement in their health knowledge and habits. The oral health results presented were, generally, in agreement with so-called common sense and with studies developed in socially similar populations.ConclusionThus, considering the limitations imposed by the way data were collected, in prison and in a vulnerability context; a non-harmful influence on the condition studied regarding the oral health of inmates is suggested.

Determinants of Punitive Attitudes of College Students Toward Criminal Offenders

A thorough review of the literature reveals many methodological weaknesses in research exploring the attitudes of the public toward criminal offenders. By identifying and correcting these shortcomings, this study examines the factors influencing the attitudes of college students toward criminal offenders. Examining these factors can significantly improve our understanding of why there has been a sharp increase in prison populations. A survey of 2,273 students in four Texas and Wisconsin universities provides us with original data for this analysis. Respondents were asked to assess appropriate punishments for six different types of crimes. An Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression enabled us to conclude that ideology is the best single predictor of student attitudes toward the treatment of criminals. In fact, in the face of strong political ideology, individual demographics seem to be irrelevant. Interestingly, Texas college students are more punitive toward sexual offenders than Wisconsin students are.

A seletividade do sistema prisional brasileiro e o perfil da população carcerária: um debate oportuno

The debate on crime and public security in Brazil is very wide and surrounded by controversies in public discussions. Regarding the penitentiary system, the studies highlight its fragility and selectivity. Therefore, this paper aims to draw a profile of the incarcerated in the Brazilian states during the period 2005 to 2010, taking into consideration several issues broadly discussed in the literature such as age, educational level of the prisoner, the color, the total fulfillment of the sentence, the level of recidivism, the age group and committed crime. Thereafter, we developed the analysis of correlation and regression between the rate of the prison population and the types of crimes to approach the relationship between the two factors. We conclude that what has occurred in Brazil is the privilege of a &ldquo;repressive&rdquo; action rather than a &ldquo;preventive&rdquo;, which contributes to the increase in prison population without an impact on crime rates.

O encarceramento em massa em São Paulo

A população prisional de São Paulo cresce acentuadamente. Mais de 30% dos presos do país se distribui pelas 154 unidades prisionais paulistas. A política de descentralização das prisões e encarceramento em massa focaliza acusados por crimes patrimoniais e de drogas, jovens, homens e oriundos das periferias urbanas. O artigo aborda desdobramentos do encarceramento em massa, resultantes das normas e moralidades que regem a vida nas prisões, sobretudo as formas de compartilhamento entre a administração e os internos e seus familiares na gestão do cotidiano na prisão. Tal compartilhamento ultrapassa os limites físicos das prisões, produzindo efeitos sobre os mecanismos do encarceramento e o seu crescimento. Observou-se a negociação entre instâncias da administração penitenciária, os grupos organizados de presos e seus familiares para manter a ordem interna e para a execução das tarefas do tratamento penitenciário. A intensificação do controle social repressivo centralizado é tensionada pela oposição complementar de um controle social difuso, fundamentado nos dispositivos de segurança compartilhados entre os agentes que participam da gestão da vida na prisão.

What Makes You the “Worst of the Worst?” An Examination of State Policies Defining Supermaximum Confinement

As a response to an increasing prison population and as a counteractive measure to problematic inmates, many states within the United States have established supermaximum (supermax) prisons or supermax units within existing prison facilities. Many criminal justice researchers have questioned the efficacy of these specialized units. Although the National Institute for Corrections has established model criteria to dictate what types of inmates should be placed in supermax custody, existing research has not yet examined if the states have chosen to follow the criteria or substitute their own criteria for admission to supermax custody. The current study examines 42 individual state policies in an attempt to ascertain how states determine which inmates are considered the “worst of the worst” and deserve segregation in supermax facilities and/or units. Implications of these policies and directions for future research are discussed.

Encyclopedia of community corrections

In response to recognition in the late 1960s and early 1970s that traditional incarceration was not working, alternatives to standard prison settings were sought and developed. One of those alternatives-community-based corrections-had been conceived in the 1950s as a system that might prove more progressive, humane, and effective, particularly with people who had committed less serious criminal offenses and for whom incarceration, with constant exposure to serious offenders and career criminals, might prove more damaging than rehabilitative. The alternative of community corrections has evolved to become a substantial part of the criminal justice and correctional system, spurred in recent years not so much by a progressive, humane philosophy as by dramatically increasing prison populations, court orders to fix overextended prison settings, and an economic search for cost savings. Although community correction programs have been in place for some 40 years now, to date no comprehensive reference resource has tackled this topic. Accessible and jargon-free and available in both print and electronic formats, the one-volume Encyclopedia of Community Corrections will explore all aspects of community corrections, from its philosophical foundation to its current inception.

Changes in the provision of institutionalized mental health care in post-communist countries.

BackgroundGeneral psychiatric and forensic psychiatric beds, supported housing and the prison population have been suggested as indicators of institutionalized mental health care. According to the Penrose hypothesis, decreasing psychiatric bed numbers may lead to increasing prison populations. The study aimed to assess indicators of institutionalized mental health care in post-communist countries during the two decades following the political change, and to explore whether the data are consistent with the Penrose hypothesis in that historical context.Methodology/Principal FindingsGeneral psychiatric and forensic psychiatric bed numbers, supported housing capacities and the prison population rates were collected in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, East Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia and Slovenia. Percentage change of indicators over the decades 1989–1999, 1999–2009 and the whole period of 1989–2009 and correlations between changes of different indicators were calculated. Between 1989 and 2009, the number of general psychiatric beds was reduced in all countries. The decrease ranged from −11% in Croatia to −51% in East Germany. In 2009, the bed numbers per 100,000 population ranged from 44.7 in Azerbaijan to 134.4 in Latvia. Forensic psychiatric bed numbers and supported housing capacities increased in most countries. From 1989–2009, trends in the prison population ranged from a decrease of −58% in East Germany to an increase of 43% in Belarus and Poland. Trends in different indicators of institutionalised care did not show statistically significant associations.Conclusions/SignificanceAfter the political changes in 1989, post-communist countries experienced a substantial reduction in general psychiatric hospital beds, which in some countries may have partly been compensated by an increase in supported housing capacities and more forensic psychiatric beds. Changes in the prison population are inconsistent. The findings do not support the Penrose hypothesis in that historical context as a general rule for most of the countries.

It's not just about the profits: privatisation, social enterprise and the ‘John Lewis’ prison

Prisons in contemporary Britain are highly problematic institutions. From the outside we can see they are struggling to cope with rapidly increasing prison populations largely made up of the most social excluded members of our society, who on their release are more likely than not to face reimprisonment. From the inside the picture is even bleaker, with prisoners feeling unsafe in a violent and unjust environment governed by an authoritarian and alienated workforce.

Grand strategic overview: epochal change and new realities for the United States

This grand strategic overview highlights and analyzes the influence of epochal change on the state and conflict and the new realities with which the United States must now contend. This deep context is being provided so that (1) the belligerent and politicized non-state entities that have emerged in Mexico and the Americas can be better understood within the larger three-front grand strategic temporal conflict the US is now engaged in; and (2) the stark realities that the US faces – such as loss of unilateral world dominance, increasing debt and ongoing deficits, shifting demographics, inability to staunch the flow of and demand for illicit drugs, and an increasing prison population – are highlighted. Finally, this essay finishes with a discussion of the many important contributions contained in this edited work.