Prison Health as Public Health in Ontario Corrections

The majority of incarcerated individuals in Canada, and especially in Ontario provincial correctional institutions, are released into the community after a short duration in custody. Adult correctional populations have generally poor health, including a heightened prevalence of mental health and su...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yoko Murphy, Howard Sapers
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SG Publishing 2020-04-01
Series:Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.journalcswb.ca/index.php/cswb/article/view/122
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author Yoko Murphy
Howard Sapers
author_facet Yoko Murphy
Howard Sapers
author_sort Yoko Murphy
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description The majority of incarcerated individuals in Canada, and especially in Ontario provincial correctional institutions, are released into the community after a short duration in custody. Adult correctional populations have generally poor health, including a heightened prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders. There are legal and ethical obligations to address health care needs of incarcerated individuals, and also public health benefits from ensuring adequate, appropriate, and accessible health services to individuals in custody. The Independent Review of Ontario Corrections recommended the transformation of health care in Ontario provincial corrections in 2017, including transferring health service responsibilities to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The Correctional Services and Reintegration Act, 2018, would affirm the provincial government’s obligation to provide patient-centred, equitable health care services for individuals in custody. We encourage the Government of Ontario to proclaim the Act and continue the momentum of recent reform efforts in Ontario.
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spelling doaj.art-78178da977094592a1b4cbfcd36169d42023-12-02T09:47:48ZengSG PublishingJournal of Community Safety and Well-Being2371-42982020-04-015110.35502/jcswb.122Prison Health as Public Health in Ontario CorrectionsYoko MurphyHoward Sapers0Visiting Professor, University of Ottawa, Adjunct Professor, Simon Fraser University The majority of incarcerated individuals in Canada, and especially in Ontario provincial correctional institutions, are released into the community after a short duration in custody. Adult correctional populations have generally poor health, including a heightened prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders. There are legal and ethical obligations to address health care needs of incarcerated individuals, and also public health benefits from ensuring adequate, appropriate, and accessible health services to individuals in custody. The Independent Review of Ontario Corrections recommended the transformation of health care in Ontario provincial corrections in 2017, including transferring health service responsibilities to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The Correctional Services and Reintegration Act, 2018, would affirm the provincial government’s obligation to provide patient-centred, equitable health care services for individuals in custody. We encourage the Government of Ontario to proclaim the Act and continue the momentum of recent reform efforts in Ontario. https://www.journalcswb.ca/index.php/cswb/article/view/122Public healthprison healthOntariocorrectional institutionscorrectional health careIndependent Review of Ontario Corrections.
spellingShingle Yoko Murphy
Howard Sapers
Prison Health as Public Health in Ontario Corrections
Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being
Public health
prison health
Ontario
correctional institutions
correctional health care
Independent Review of Ontario Corrections.
title Prison Health as Public Health in Ontario Corrections
title_full Prison Health as Public Health in Ontario Corrections
title_fullStr Prison Health as Public Health in Ontario Corrections
title_full_unstemmed Prison Health as Public Health in Ontario Corrections
title_short Prison Health as Public Health in Ontario Corrections
title_sort prison health as public health in ontario corrections
topic Public health
prison health
Ontario
correctional institutions
correctional health care
Independent Review of Ontario Corrections.
url https://www.journalcswb.ca/index.php/cswb/article/view/122
work_keys_str_mv AT yokomurphy prisonhealthaspublichealthinontariocorrections
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