Regional Prison Research Articles

The Knowledge Transfer Process of Mor Lam Ruang Toh Klon Khon Kaen Style to Prisoners at Khon Kaen Central Prison

The objective of this research was to convey the art of performing Mor Lam Rueang Tor Klon Khon Kaen style, by transferring the singing and performing techniques to prisoners in Khon Kaen Central Prison and evaluate research achievements. The research method included document study and fieldwork, consisting of observation and interviews with experts. The research results were presented through a performance presentation. The data was analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. The results of the study are as follows. In terms of the knowledge transfer process of the performing arts of Mor Lam Rueang Tor Klon Khon Kaen style through the process of transferring the singing and performing techniques to prisoners in Khon Kaen Central Prison, the composer included morals, ethics, and teachings into the song. Prisoners involved in the performance drew lessons from the characters they played. The activities from the research helped prisoners relieve stress. Mor Lum evolved from the palm leaf books into different types of performances, such as Mor Lum Pheun, Mor Lum Klon, Mor Lum Moo, Mor Lum Sing, and Mor Lum Phi Fah. Each type of Mor Lum is presented differently. One common element for all types of Mor Lum is the morals, ethics, teaching, beliefs, and livelihood of Isaan people ingrained within every song. Currently, the type of Mor Lum that both the older and younger generation can gain most access to is Mor Lum Tor Klon. There are many styles of Mor Lum Rueng Tor Klon in the Isaan region, such as the Ubon style, Khon Kaen Style, Kalasin Style, and Mahasarakham style. However, the style that is the most popular today is the Khon Kaen style due to its easy-listening tune, easier access, and easier to perform. Although the Khon Kaen style can be further categorized into various sangwats, or sub-styles, such as Paw Inta style, Paw Rabiab style, or Chumphae style, listeners still prefer the Khon Kaen style. Currently, 90 percent of the popular Mor Lum groups in the Isaan Region are the Mor Lum Rueng Tor Klon groups in Khon Kaen. It can be assumed that when Isaan people hear Mor Lum music, they feel joy in their hearts. Those who work in other regions miss home even more whenever they hear the Mor Lum music. However, there is another group of people who are also from Isaan but their freedom to the outside world has been taken away. We know them as “prisoners”. Prisoners are those who committed crimes and are detained by the Department of Correction. The department is the last department down that judicial line, tasked with overseeing prisoners convicted by the court and rehabilitating them to return to society as good citizens (Jirathitikarn, 2011). Khon Kaen Central Prison is a Northeastern regional prison for prisoners with skills in local performances and Luk Thung and Mor Lum music. There are workshops to provide knowledge in local Isaan music performances, which are used for improving the behaviors of prisoners to be able to adapt themselves as good citizens of society, as well as using the skill to develop their minds or generate income after they are released. From the above statement, the researchers found that whether they are prisoners in prisons or normal people living in society, they all need entertainment to soothe their sorrows. Therefore, the target group of this research consisted of prisoners detained in prison. Although they are physically detained, they should be able to receive the same type of happiness as people living on the outside. Thus, the researchers used an Isaan local performance, Mor Lum Tor Klon, as a tool that provides entertainment, while being embedded with teachings, morals, and ethics. Additionally, prisoners would receive knowledge in singing and participate in a Mor Lum Tor Klon Khon Kaen Style performance. When the prisoners are released, they can use the knowledge and skills in Mor Lum to start their careers and be accepted back into society. The researchers believe that this research will benefit the prisoners in Khon Kaen Central Prison, as well as be used as a tool in preserving the arts and culture of Mor Lum Tor Klon Khon Kaen Style in the future.

Administration of Alexandrovskaya Central Penal Colony (1873-1917)

This article explores the formation and activities of the administration of the Alexandrovskaya Central Penal Colony, which played a significant role within the Main Prison Administration of the Russian Empire. The management structure of the Alexandrovskaya Central Penal Colony is examined, along with the staffing schedule of employees. The article also delves into the personnel policy from the establishment of the prison in 1873 until the radical restructuring of the penitentiary system in Russia after the 1917 revolution. Instructional letters outlining the authorities of prison staff are analyzed, as well as the working hours and conditions specific to inmate management at Alexandrovskaya prison. The article scrutinizes the amount of monetary compensation for prison officials and compares it to income levels in other regional prisons. The staffing levels of managerial employees in the prison castle are investigated. Despite low incomes, disorganization in their personal lives, and high levels of daily work stress, there was virtually no turnover among staff. Through examples of individual wardens, it is revealed that they showed a committed attitude towards their duties, striving to make the prison an exemplary institution. The article establishes the fact of career advancement for employees of the Alexandrovskaya Central Penal Colony within the penitentiary system of Irkutsk Province.

Cardiovascular risk assessment of people living in prison in the Northern region of Ghana

PurposeThe health of people living in prisons (PLP) frequently remains marginalised in national development discourse, particularly in resource-constrained settings like Ghana. This study aims to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among PLP at a prison facility in the Northern Region of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study involving 134 male persons in prison, aged 18–79 years, was conducted to assess their dietary habits, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, sleep behaviour and physical activity practices. Serum lipid profile, fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood pressure (BP) and body mass indices of participants were also measured.FindingsAlmost half (48.1%) of the participants had abnormal lipid levels. Those with FBG in the diabetes range (= 7.0 mmol/l) constituted 3.9%, while 16.7% were in the impaired FBG range (6.1–6.9 mmol/l). Participants with BP within the pre-hypertension range were 54.5%. The majority of participants (92%) had a low daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Few participants were active smokers (5%) and alcohol users (2%). The average sleep duration at night among the participants was 5.54 ± 2.07 h. The majority (74%) of the participants were sedentary. About a quarter of the participants (24.6%) had overweight/obesity.Originality/valueThis study highlights the CVD risks among PLP. Findings suggest the need for targeted interventions, such as dietary and lifestyle modification strategies, regular physical activity and routine screening for diabetes, dyslipidaemia and hypertension. These interventions within the prison space could significantly improve the cardiovascular health of PLP in resource-limited settings.

Prison Papermaking: Colonial Ideals of Industrial Experimentation in India.

This article questions the economic rationale of colonial experimentation and prison labor, arguing that for many administrators a prison-based experiment's success mattered less than its existence. It examines the position of convict labor and penal discipline within colonial industrial experiments in colonial India, where convicts performed experiments for what one administrator described as "the most penal" form of labor, papermaking. The belief that Indian fibers could open a new export market for global papermaking meant that prisons became prominent sites of experimentation with new pulps. Regional prisons gained state monopolies for handmade paper, often decimating local independent producers. Yet prison and industrial officers counterintuitively positioned the frequent failures of papermaking experiments as a continuing potential source for industrial improvement. They argued that the failures demonstrated the need to improve discipline and supervision. Prison experiments slotted convicts into repetitive, mechanized roles that served European investigations into the utility of Indian products.

Barriers to and facilitators of prostate cancer screening among men in Uganda prisons: Findings from a survey of 2565 prisoners.

e18637 Background: Studies have shown that prostate cancer (PCa) is increasing at a rate of 5.2% per annum and as few as 5% of men have ever screened for PCa in Uganda. The situation may be worse among male prisoners given their vulnerability status. The study aimed to examine the perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of men in Uganda Prisons regarding barriers to and facilitators of PCa screening. This would enable the identification of potential interventional strategies to promote PCa screening among men in Uganda prisons. Methods: In May 2022, we conducted 20 focus group discussions and 17 key informant interviews. Results: The belief that all cancers have no cure was one barrier that inhibited most participants not to consider screening as of any value, coupled with fear of being told that one is positive and the stress that comes with it. Participants revealed that they would rather live without getting to know the unknown. In addition, lack of knowledge on prostate cancer and lack of Pca screening services in prisons were perceived as barriers to PCa screening in prison settings. Overall, qualitatively, the interventional strategies that men in Uganda prisons believed could help health care providers promote and increase PCa screening were; using the prison peer educators, working with the UPS to train & equip Prison HCs to screen for PCa, conducting outreach from the cancer hospital, Ministry of Health to work with the UPS authority to establish system for prostate cancer screening in prisons, using health workers within prisons, using the regional prisons health centers to establish prostate cancer screening in prisons, using IEC materials such as posters, and conducting group health education sessions. Conclusions: Culturally-relevant interventions are needed to address the barriers to prostate cancer screening among men in the Ugandan prisons focusing at the entire prison health system.

Fear of COVID-19, Mental Health and Resilient Coping in Young Adult Male Inmates: A Portuguese Cross-Sectional Study.

Inmates are highly exposed to mental and physical disorders. Therefore, periodic screening of their mental health and other health risks is required. This study aims to investigate the perceived fear of COVID-19 and the psychological impact of the pandemic in a sample of young adult male inmates. An institutional-based quantitative cross-sectional study design was performed. Data collection took place from July to September 2022 at a juvenile prison in the central region of Portugal. Data were collected using questionnaires on demographic and health characteristics; fear of COVID-19; depression, anxiety and stress levels; and resilient coping. The sample included 60 male inmates imprisoned for over 2 years. Stress was the most common symptom among inmates (75%), followed by anxiety (38.3%) and depression (36.7%). The mean score on the Fear of COVID-19 Scale was 17.38 ± 4.80, indicating relatively low fear levels. Low resilient scores were found in 38 participants (63.3%). Participants reported moderately high ranges of 3.62 ± 0.87 regarding mental health perception, 3.73 ± 0.95 for physical health perception, and 3.27 ± 0.82 for global health concerning the previous month. The Pearson correlation matrix indicated significant and moderate to strong correlations between fear of COVID-19 and mental health-related variables (p < 0.001). The predicting factors of fear of COVID-19 were identified by deploying a multiple linear regression model. We found four predictors: age, perception of mental health, and overall levels of anxiety and stress (R2 = 0.497). Fear of a given scenario or factor may shift with time. Therefore, long-term research is needed to evaluate whether fear of COVID-19 is adaptive or long-reactive in victims. Our study can assist policymakers, mental health and public health experts, and others in recognizing and managing pandemic-related fears and mental health symptoms.

Detection of sexually transmitted infections among transvestites and transsexual women in prison in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a taxa de soropositividade dos testes rápidos para HIV, sífilis e hepatite B e C entre travestis e mulheres transexuais (transfemininas) privadas de liberdade na Região Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro, analisando os resultados diante do perfil sociodemográfico, prisional e acesso às tecnologias de saúde para prevenir infecções sexualmente transmissíveis (IST). Métodos: Estudo transversal do tipo censitário realizado com transfemininas em 11 prisões do Rio de Janeiro, entre os meses de abril e junho de 2021. Resultados: As taxas de soropositividade encontradas foram de 34,4% para o HIV, 48,9% para sífilis e 0,8% para as hepatites do tipo B e C. A soropositividade para mais de uma infecção foi verificada em 25,4% das participantes, e HIV/sífilis foi a mais prevalente. O aumento no nível de escolarização (p=0,037), e possuir parceiro fixo na prisão (p=0,041) foram considerados fatores de proteção para as IST nessa população. Foram identificadas dificuldades no acesso às tecnologias de prevenção contra IST, como preservativo masculino, gel lubrificante, testes rápidos e terapias antirretrovirais profiláticas para o HIV. Conclusão: As taxas de soropositividade para o HIV e sífilis foram elevadas, mas no perfil encontrado nessa população em outros estudos dentro e fora das prisões. Os dados encontrados indicam a necessidade de incorporar estratégias efetivas para o acesso às tecnologias em saúde para a prevenção das IST. A escassez de publicações científicas contendo dados epidemiológicos sobre IST na população transfeminina em situação de prisão limitou a realização de comparações mais profundas dos resultados obtidos neste estudo.

Architectural guidelines aimed at resocialization: the analysis of the Regional Prison of Passo Fundo and the Santa Luzia Apac

The worsening of the prison crisis in Brazil is currently being discussed at the global level. This is the result of multiple factors, among them, the lack of maintenance of penal establishments, causing a degraded architecture, which influences the precarious condition of use of detainees. The general objective of the article is to analyze the architectural guidelines aimed at the re-socialization of Brazilian prisoners in the prisons of Passo Fundo, in Rio Grande do Sul, and Santa Luzia, in Minas Gerais. Methodologically, we sought to understand the functionality of the Passo Fundo Regional Prison (traditional system) and the Santa Luzia prison (with the application of the [Association for the Protection and Assistance to Convicts – Associação de Proteção e Assistência aos Condenados [Apac] methodology), thus confronting architectural assessment guidelines on the efficiency of these establishments aimed at rehabilitating convicts by the judicial system. The results showed that the state of architectural conservation and programs aimed at resocialization positively influence the decrease in reoccurrences.

Formation and Development of Penitentiary Institutions in Yekaterinodar (Second Half of the 19th–Early 20th Centuries)

Introduction: the article is devoted to the historic background of the prison system in the Kuban and features of the prison institutions formation in Yekaterinodar – the center of the Kuban Oblast, formed in 1860. The article, based on the comprehension of historical experience and analysis of archival materials, shows the impact of the 1860– 1870 state-legal reforms on construction of new and enlargement of current prisons and studies the specifics of prisoner detention conditions. It reveals the role of the Yekaterinodar Military Prison Committee “Prisons Custody Society” in enhancement of Yekaterinodar’s penitentiary institutions: organization of places of detention and provision of the necessary detention regime; control over detainee’s welfare; improvement of medical care for prisoners, etc. Purpose: to reflect development features of penitentiary institutions in the Kuban as a whole and Yekaterinodar in particular. The methodological basis of the research consists of philosophical, general scientific and private scientific methods (dialectical, system-structural, historical-genetic, comparative, formal-legal, etc.). Discussion: based on a brief analysis of the works of N.I. Galkina, N.V. Slavinskii, M.K. Batchayeva, S.A. Lobova, etc., devoted to the issues under consideration, as well as the study of materials contained in the funds of the State Archive of Krasnodar Territory, the author presents chronological background of formation and development of the Kuban prison institutions. As a result of the conducted research, the researcher comes to the following conclusion: since Yekaterinodar acquired the status of a civil city in 1867, there was a sharp increase in out-of-town visitors, which led to a rise in the number of crimes and, accordingly, persons serving sentences in the form of imprisonment. It involvedthe expansion of existing prison facilities and construction of new ones, in particular, the Yekaterinodar regional prison in 1876. The establishment of the Yekaterinodar Military Prison ommittee “Prisons Custody Society” in 1867, which was in charge of the entire Kuban penitentiary system, helped achieve some success in prison guardianship within its competence. The development of guardianship in relation to prisoners should be considered one of the mechanisms that solved the problem of improving prisoners’ situation. This activity was financed by state and private charitable funds. The author also notes that the Kuban prisons addressed acute problems, characteristic, however, of the entire penitentiary system, such as insufficient funding of prison facilities, unsuitability of prison facilities, i.e. overcrowding, and harsh detention conditions.

“Burns Behind Bars”: A 10-year review and cost analysis of burn injuries in prison inmates presenting to a regional burns centre, and the role of the burns outreach service

IntroductionFrom 85348 inmates in England and Wales, over 26,000 incidents of assault and 40,000 of self-harm were reported from within prisons in 2016. This study focuses primarily on burn injuries in prison, determining the predominant aetiology as well as clinical outcomes of these injuries. MethodsData was retrieved retrospectively and a case series performed, including all burns referred from regional prisons to our centre from 2007 to 2017 and comprising patient demographics, mechanism of injury, total body surface area affected, management, and outcome. Cost analysis of care was conducted using a previously published framework. Results18 cases from three regional prisons were recorded, with 67% from a single prison. Referrals rose exponentially over time, with 44% occurring in 2017. 94% were scald burns, and 56% secondary to assault, primarily through the use of kettles and mostly targeting the face and trunk. The mean TBSA of burn was 2.89% (<1–8%), and 80% received first aid. 72.2% were admitted to hospital for an average of 4 days. All burns were managed nonoperatively with dressings and underwent on average 2 outpatient reviews (1–8). DiscussionThe disproportionate spread of referrals across the prisons correlates partly with the respective populations, but may also represent contrasting medical provisions. The recurring method of assault reflects the relative ease of access to hot water as a harmful agent, predominantly presenting with scalds affecting more critical areas, and with concurrent physical trauma in nearly half of cases which presents management challenges. ConclusionTargeted education is recommended to reduce the incidence and ensure adequate management of burns in prison, referrals for which are demonstrably rising. Accordingly, the Burns Outreach team can provide training to in-house prison health staff and review referrals to specialist Burns services, aiming to ensure equitable care while alleviating costs associated with transfer to and management in hospital.

Правовые основы деятельности Главного управления местами заключения Министерства юстиции Временного правительства

The article reveals the legal foundations of the activities of the Main Directorate of Places of Detention of the Ministry of Justice created by the Provisional Government of Russia on April 26, 1917. The authors examine in detail the process of drafting the General Prison Instruction by the General Directorate of Places of Detention. Its peculiarity was the fact that this work was delegated to employees of the penal system and prosecutors in a number of regions, therefore, the interests of prison staff and the problems they faced in practice were taken into account. As a result on the basis of local lawmaking the development of the main normative legal act regulating the regime and conditions for the execution of sentences in the country as a whole was carried out. The strategy for preparing a new version of the General Prison Instruction with the help of the initiatives of the regional prison officials was of great importance. At present the problem of improving the institution of social patronage over released convicts is urgent. The accumulated experience of introducing measures of public patronage and patronage during the period of the Provisional Government’s activity should be studied in detail with a view to possible borrowing into the activities of the bodies of the Russian penal system.

HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C in Incarcerated Women in a Metropolitan Detention Center in Northeast Brazil

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system cells, and causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Incarcerated populations have a recognized increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).&#x0D; Objectives: The study was aimed to identify the frequency of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B/C in women incarcerated in a prison in a big city in northeast Brazil.&#x0D; Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study.&#x0D; Methodology: The sample was composed of incarcerated women in a medium- to high-security prison in a metropolitan region in northeast Brazil. Between January and October 2018, 200 prisoners were interviewed to collect their socio-demographic data. At that time, a drop of peripheral blood was collected to perform syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C rapid tests after informed consent was obtained.&#x0D; Results: The age of the women ranged from 19 to 62 years old (mean=32.85±10.4). The time of incarceration varied between less than one to 10 years (mean=3.6±2.1). The majority of the women were single (71.5%), not pregnant (97%), mixed race (68.5%), housewives (30.5%) and had an elementary school education (51%). Among the 122 women tested for syphilis, 24 were positive (19.7%). HIV was present in 4 of the 200 tested woman (2%), and hepatitis C was identified in 3 of the 91 tested patients. All 85 patients tested for hepatitis B were negative. When considering the time of incarceration, the results were not significantly different.&#x0D; Conclusion: Only the frequency of syphilis was high, at almost 20%, which is higher than those observed in other studies from other regions of Brazil and other countries.

From Roper to Regional Prisons: a story of habilitation

From Roper to Regional Prisons: a story of habilitation

Crenças sobre educação em prisões: Percepções de docentes

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar as crenças normativas, comportamentais e de controle comportamental percebido relacionadas ao ensino no ambiente de cárcere, sob a perspectiva da Teoria do Comportamento Planejado (Ajzen, 1991). Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória, descritiva, com abordagem qualitativa. Foram realizadas oito entrevistas semiestruturadas com agentes de ensino que atuam na educação de jovens e adultos e em projetos relacionados à educação no cárcere na região metropolitana de Fortaleza – Ceará. O conteúdo das entrevistas foi analisado por meio da análise de conteúdo. Os resultados indicaram que o comportamento planejado de exercer a docência no ambiente de cárcere dos entrevistados é orientado pelos três tipos de crenças: comportamentais, normativas e de controle percebido. Os resultados acrescentam informações a respeito da docência no ambiente de cárcere, contribuindo para a área da educação, ao proporcionar a compreensão sobre a atuação de professores em um ambiente provido de estigmas e preconceitos; e da gestão, posto que as unidades prisionais são instituições públicas que lidam com projetos sociais, cuja dinâmica é movimentada pelas contingências intrínsecas a esse ambiente, pelo poder disciplinar e pelas normalizações. Ademais, reforça-se a importância da Teoria do Comportamento Planejado como modelo teórico adequado para predizer o comportamento humano.

Incarcerated Aboriginal women\u2019s experiences of accessing healthcare and the limitations of the \u2018equal treatment\u2019 principle

BackgroundColonization continues in Australia, sustained through institutional and systemic racism. Targeted discrimination and intergenerational trauma have undermined the health and wellbeing of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, leading to significantly poorer health status, social impoverishment and inequity resulting in the over-representation of Aboriginal people in Australian prisons. Despite adoption of the ‘equal treatment’ principle, on entering prison in Australia entitlements to the national universal healthcare system are revoked and Aboriginal people lose access to health services modelled on Aboriginal concepts of culturally safe healthcare available in the community. Incarcerated Aboriginal women experience poorer health outcomes than incarcerated non-Indigenous women and Aboriginal men, yet little is known about their experiences of accessing healthcare. We report the findings of the largest qualitative study with incarcerated Aboriginal women in New South Wales (NSW) Australia in over 15 years.MethodsWe employed a decolonizing research methodology, ‘community collaborative participatory action research’, involving consultation with Aboriginal communities prior to the study and establishment of a Project Advisory Group (PAG) of community expert Aboriginal women to guide the project. Forty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2013 with Aboriginal women in urban and regional prisons in NSW. We applied a grounded theory approach for the data analysis with guidance from the PAG.ResultsWhilst Aboriginal women reported positive and negative experiences of prison healthcare, the custodial system created numerous barriers to accessing healthcare. Aboriginal women experienced institutional racism and discrimination in the form of not being listened to, stereotyping, and inequitable healthcare compared with non-Indigenous women in prison and the community.Conclusions‘Equal treatment’ is an inappropriate strategy for providing equitable healthcare, which is required because incarcerated Aboriginal women experience significantly poorer health. Taking a decolonizing approach, we unpack and demonstrate the systems level changes needed to make health and justice agencies culturally relevant and safe. This requires further acknowledgment of the oppressive transgenerational effects of ongoing colonial policy, a true embracing of diversity of worldviews, and critically the integration of Aboriginal concepts of health at all organizational levels to uphold Aboriginal women’s rights to culturally safe healthcare in prison and the community.

Peer involvement and cross-sector efforts in establishing integrated treatment of hepatitis C virus infection for people with substance use disorders: experiences from Norway

BackgroundFor people with opioid dependence in Norway, chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections contribute to high mortality and high morbidity. Around 50% of patients in medically assisted rehabilitation (MAR) have been shown to have HCV, and the current prevention and control efforts have been mostly unsuccessful. Thus, there is a need for new strategies for people-centred service delivery and innovative methods to improve health outcomes.MethodsOver the last few years, the city of Bergen, Norway, has developed a cross-sector collaboration with substantial peer involvement in research and health provision related to substance use. User group representatives for people receiving MAR, addiction medicine health personnel, infectious disease specialists, policy makers in the municipality, low-threshold health care centres for people with substance use disorders in Bergen Municipality and researchers in the INTRO-HCV project have made concerted efforts in this regard. We will present here some of the strategies and steps we have taken.ResultsWe have established an integrated HCV treatment scheme for people who inject drugs or who have opioid dependence. More than 800 persons have been tested for HCV within these frames, and more than 250 persons have been given treatment for HCV within the project. The integrated treatment of HCV is offered both in MAR outpatient clinics, municipal low-threshold healthcare centres, and local and regional prisons. The preliminary results indicate an increase in HCV treatment uptake among those receiving integrated treatment (96% initiating treatment compared to 75%). The user group organisation ProLAR Nett has established an outreach service to screen for HCV, increase awareness and reduce the proportion of people unknowingly living with HCV while informing and motivating people to receive treatment. Together with the other stake holders, peer user group, health care, research planning, concert events, and policy panels have been held.ConclusionsPeer involvement seems to have increased testing rates for HCV and acknowledgment of its importance. This seems to have improved health care for people with opioid dependence in Bergen over the last few years, particularly relating to the treatment of HCV. These experiences might be helpful in the planning of integrated policies in other settings that seek to eliminate the HCV endemic.

Pulmonary Tuberculosis among Male Inmates in the Largest Prison of Eastern Nepal.

Introduction The prevalence of Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) is much higher in the prison population than in the general population. This study aims to find out the prevalence of PTB and its associated factors among inmates in eastern Nepal. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in Jhumka Regional Prison, the largest male prison of Eastern Nepal from September 2014 to August 2015. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to identify individuals with a cough more than one-week duration among 434 randomly selected inmates. Screening of PTB was done by sputum smear test and/or GeneXpert test. Prevalence of TB was defined as the number of cases detected during the study period divided by the total number of inmates screened during that period. Fisher's exact test was used to find out the association of PTB with related variables. Results A total of 434 inmates were screened for PTB with mean age 35.7 years and body mass index 22.7 kg/m2. A total of 68 inmates had a productive cough of more than a week and two patients were already on anti-tuberculosis therapy at the time of screening. Sixty sputum samples were considered for sputum smear/GeneXpert test and 6 of them (10%) had positive results. The prevalence of TB in the Prison was 1843/100,000 population. Chest pain and abnormal chest auscultation findings were found to be significantly associated with PTB. Conclusions This study showed that there was a high rate of PTB among inmates in Nepal. The results suggest a need for effective screening of PTB and strategies to improve management including reduction of PTB transmission in the prison.

Seroprevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and C and syphilis infection in prisoners of the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The living conditions of the prison population favors the spread of often asymptomatic infectious diseases which can be taken to the community. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B and C, as well as possible co-infections among prison inmates in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul. We conducted a cross-sectional study of records of serological analyses of the Regional Prison of Santa Cruz do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) performed between January 2016 and June 2017. Data were obtained from files of the 13th Regional Laboratory of Santa Cruz do Sul. We included in the study all serological records obtained regarding the following diseases: syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C. We analyzed data from 349 convicts with the mean age of 31 (± 8.56) years, ranging from 18 to 59 years, with the predominance of males 86%. Positive results: 6% for syphilis, 4.9% for HIV, and 8.3% for hepatitis C. Regarding hepatitis B the data obtained were 86% of subjects were susceptible to the virus, 1.1% were in the acute phase, 1.4% in chronic phase, 5.7% with past infection and 2.2% in immunological window period. Co-infections detected were: 0.3% (n = 1) syphilis/hepatitis C, 0.6% (n = 2) HIV/ hepatitis B, and 0.9% (n = 3) HIV/hepatitis C and HIV/syphilis. The prison environment provides data from a population at high risk for spread of infectious diseases and we found a high prevalence in this study. Combative measures such as information, identification and treatment are urgent to prevent the spread of these diseases.

Toward achieving the unthinkable: transforming conversations about criminalized others through service-learning in correctional facilities

ABSTRACTBuilding supportive communities and improving programming for incarcerated persons can be difficult due to stereotypes derived from culture, media, and personal upbringing. Such stereotypes, like the narratives from which they are derived, are socially constructed. To develop an understanding of how those narratives construct “others” and to transform stereotypes of incarcerated “others,” we adopted a communication perspective on the problem of overcoming stigma, designed a course to promote transformative learning, and employed service-learning as a way to bring students into contact with incarcerated men in a regional prison facility. Students’ reflections over two semesters in the service-learning course revealed that interaction with people who were incarcerated transformed their beliefs and values about those with whom they worked, resulting in an attitude of “just mercy” toward people who were incarcerated and making possible a more humane understanding of themselves and those members of our communities who are incarcerated.

Health needs and risky behaviours among inmates in the largest prison of eastern Nepal.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the health status and risky behaviours of inmates in Nepal. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Jhumka Regional Prison, the largest male prison in eastern Nepal from September 2014 to August 2015. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews from 434 randomly selected incarcerated participants using semi-structured questionnaires. The mean age of 434 participants was 35.7 years (SD 13.3). The majority (84 per cent) had at least one current health problem, of which the commonest were respiratory (50 per cent), skin (38 per cent) and digestive (26 per cent). Alcohol (73 per cent) and cigarettes (71 per cent) were the most commonly used substances prior to imprisonment. Approximately, 27 and 11 per cent reported illicit drug use and injectable drug use prior to incarceration, respectively. A total of 204 inmates reported having intercourse with sex workers. Of these, 49 per cent did not use a condom in their last intercourse with a sex worker. This paper illustrates that a wide range of physical and mental health problems exist among incarcerated people in Nepal. The study may lack generalisability, however, as it was conducted in a single male prison. The paper suggests a need for medical, psychiatric and substance abuse care in correctional settings to improve the health status of the prison population. It is also important to develop screening policies for blood-borne viral and other infectious diseases in the prison. This is the first study of its kind drawn from prisons in Nepal.