The Importance Of Healthcare In Prisons

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Healthcare in prisons is a very complex issue. Several times the United States Supreme Court has ruled “that an inmate’s right to healthcare is essentially the same as the right of a non-incarcerated person” (Carlson & Garrett, 2008, p. 99). It is very expensive and how does one decide which treatment to give, the better or the cheaper? On top of that, prison staff has to worry about detecting infectious diseases and preventing their spread. There are several policies that can help prison administrators with some of these issues. One of the most important policies should be a complete initial screening for each incoming inmate, whether he or she is a transfer or one fresh from the courts. This screening should find out the …show more content…

1). Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, and Michigan reported a total savings of $48.4 million during the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years by participating (Pew report on Medicaid coverage of inmates, 2015). Last, aging inmates are becoming a costly problem in money and manpower. Between 1995 and 2010, the number of inmates over 55 grew from 32,600 to 124,400 (Metla, 2015). Many of these pose no risk and can no longer care for themselves at all. Instead of spending an outrageous amount of money to take care of this type of inmate till they die, outsourcing to nursing homes should be considered. California allowed this type of medical parole in 2010 (Metla, 2015). This will free up more prison space and save money and manpower. These are just a few policies that improve healthcare and save money in the long run. They might not work in every situation, but should be considered, especially with the rising costs in prison

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