文章基本信息

标题：Adverse Effects of US Jail and Prison Policies on the Health and Well-Being of Women of Color
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作者：Nicholas Freudenberg
期刊名称：American journal of public health
印刷版ISSN：0090-0036
出版年度：2002
卷号：92
期号：12
页码：1895-1899
语种：English
出版社：American Public Health Association
摘要：In the past few decades, US policies have led to an unprecedented increase in the number of people behind bars. While more men than women are incarcerated, the rate of increase for women has been higher. Evidence of the negative impact of incarceration on the health of women of color suggests strategies to reduce these adverse effects. Correctional policies contribute to disparities in health between White women and women of color, providing a public health rationale for policy change. Specific roles for health professionals include becoming involved in alliances addressing alternatives to incarceration, creating programs that address the needs of women in correctional facilities, and identifying the pathways by which correctional policies damage health. NATIONAL DEBATES ON CRIME, race, and incarceration have usually focused on men rather than women and on justice and public safety rather than health. Yet, high rates of incarceration affect the well-being of women of color directly, in that incarcerated women are removed from their communities, they are placed in close proximity to a population of women with high rates of infectious and chronic diseases, and opportunities to link them to needed services are missed. Incarceration also affects families by separating women from their children, often forcing children into foster care and leaving them vulnerable to psychological, educational, and social problems. 1, 2 Prison eliminates current income and reduces future earnings by diminishing women’s prospects for postrelease employment. 3 Moreover, even a short stay in jail can lead to homelessness. 4 Equally important and less addressed in the literature, criminal justice policies aimed at men can also harm women. The disproportionate incarceration rates among Black and Latino men affect women by reducing the pool of male partners who can contribute to family income, 5 reducing overall employment rates in low-income communities, 3 and diminishing men’s ability to be consistent and present fathers. 6 For some women, the incarceration of an abusive or criminally involved partner can offer safety. However, the vast majority of men return to their homes from jail or prison, 7 and thus the failure of correctional facilities to provide most incarcerated men with substance abuse, mental health, or domestic violence services forces many women to make an unpalatable choice. They can either separate from a male partner who returns from jail or prison, thus reducing financial and emotional support, or take back a man with drug, violence, or psychological problems that may jeopardize the family’s health and safety. Here I review evidence of the impact of current incarceration policies on the health of women of color and suggest public health programs, policies, and research to reduce adverse effects. I also argue that current correctional policies contribute to health status disparities between White women and women of color, providing a public health rationale for policy change.