Search Results (27)

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to a higher risk of criminal behaviour, while positive childhood experiences (PCEs) may offer a protective effect by mitigating the negative impact of ACEs. Both ACEs and PCEs play a significant role in shaping emotional regulation. However, research on the influence of PCEs within incarcerated populations remains limited. This study aimed to examine the associations between ACEs, PCEs, and emotional regulation difficulties in a prison sample, and to explore whether PCEs moderate the relationship between ACEs and emotional regulation difficulties in adulthood. The analysis considered both the overall emotional regulation difficulties score and its specific dimensions—strategies, non-acceptance, impulse, goals, awareness, and clarity. The study included 283 men, with a mean age of 40.03 (SD = 11.64), ranging from 19 to 84 years, who were incarcerated in seven prisons in northern Portugal. Data were collected using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale, the Benevolent Childhood Experiences Scale, and the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale—Short Form. The results revealed statistically significant positive correlations between ACEs and overall emotional regulation difficulties, as well as with nearly all subscales (strategies, impulse, goals, awareness, and clarity). Conversely, PCEs were significantly negatively correlated with overall emotional regulation difficulties and most subscales (impulse, goals, awareness, and clarity). However, PCEs did not moderate the relationship between ACEs and emotional regulation difficulties. These findings may be influenced by the characteristics of the sample, highlighting the need for further research—preferably longitudinal studies—to better assess the potential moderating role of PCEs. Such research could enhance the effectiveness of prevention and intervention strategies for incarcerated populations. Full article

Background: Gun-related homicide remains a persistent public health crisis in the United States, with over 48,000 firearm-related deaths reported in 2022, including 19,651 homicides and 27,032 suicides. Despite frequent calls for tighter gun control, firearm access alone does not explain the complexity of violence. Objective: This commentary aims to unpack the socioeconomic, psychological, and biological drivers of gun-related homicide and propose integrative, evidence-based solutions that extend beyond legislative reform. Methods: We synthesized data from peer-reviewed literature, national crime and health databases (e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Federal Bureau of Investigation), and international reports. We examined patterns related to poverty, trauma, male aggression, neurobiology, and firearm acquisition, as well as cross-national comparisons with countries like Switzerland and Mexico. Findings: Young males, particularly those aged 10–29, accounted for 50% of homicide offenders in 2022. African Americans experienced homicide rates of 23.1 per 100,000, ten times the rate among Whites. Up to 56% of incarcerated men report childhood physical trauma, and over 40% of those in prison exhibit symptoms of serious mental illness. While firearm legislation varies widely, analysis reveals that over 90% of crime guns are acquired illegally or through informal sources. International comparisons show that poverty and weak rule of law, more than gun laws alone, correlate with elevated homicide rates. Conclusions: Reducing gun violence sustainably requires a multifaceted approach. Authors advocate for investments in trauma-informed mental health care, focused deterrence programs, early childhood interventions, and improved enforcement against illegal gun trafficking. A public health strategy that integrates social reform with targeted regulation holds the greatest promise for long-term change. Full article

Background/Objectives: Many prison-sentenced individuals exhibit symptoms of mental dysfunctions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The presence of co-occurring mental disorders further complicates their rehabilitation and social reintegration efforts. Given these challenges, understanding the role of specific disorders, such as ADHD, is critical for developing targeted interventions tailored to the needs of incarcerated individuals and improving their outcomes. This research aimed to clarify the relationships among hyperactivity, criminal behavior, and psychological functioning to inform preventative and therapeutic strategies. Methods: This study investigated the complex interplay among attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, criminal behavior, and various psychological factors in a sample of 391 male inmates from low-security Polish prisons and a control group of non-offending men. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Spearman’s rank correlation were used to analyze the relationships among ADHD severity, type of crime (no crime, property crime, crime involving aggression), family functioning, childhood trauma, early maladaptive schemas, and mental health disorders. Results: The results revealed that while traumatic experiences were present across all groups, stronger family cohesion and support were associated with the absence of ADHD symptoms and criminal behavior. As ADHD severity and criminal behavior escalated, particularly in cases involving aggression, family support diminished, and maladaptive schemas, including “disconnection and rejection” and “excessive vigilance and inhibition”, became more prominent, alongside increased correlations with mental health issues (anxiety and depression). Conclusions: The findings underscore the crucial role of family environment and early intervention in mitigating the risks associated with ADHD and criminal behavior, highlighting the need for comprehensive interventions targeting maladaptive schemas and providing support for both internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Limitations include the retrospective nature of data collection and the exclusive focus on male inmates in low-security facilities. Full article

Background: Although cervical cancer (CC) is highly preventable through appropriate screening methods like the Papanicolaou (Pap) test, which enables early detection of malignant and precancerous lesions, access to such screening has not been equitable across social groups. Sex workers and people with records of incarceration are among the most under-screened populations in Ontario. Little is known about the acceptability and feasibility of HPV self-sampling (HPV-SS) as an alternative cervical cancer screening method for these groups. This online, community-based mixed-methods pilot study aimed to address this knowledge gap. Methods: Eighty-four under- and never-screened sex workers and ex-prisoners aged 25–69 years and residing in the Greater Toronto Area, were recruited by community peer associates. Participants completed an online survey and viewed short videos about CC and screening with Pap and HPV-SS. Those who opted for HPV-SS conducted the test at one of two collaborating organizations. Results: The median age of participants was 36.5 years. Most had limited knowledge about CC and screening. Approximately 13% identified as non-binary, and 5% as two-spirit or trans men, with the majority having completed secondary education. Of the participants, 88% chose HPV-SS, and one-third tested positive for high-risk HPV types. The ability to self-sample without judgment from healthcare providers was noted as a key advantage. However, there was a need for training on proper HPV-SS techniques. Conclusions: To improve cervical cancer screening among sex workers, increasing awareness through participatory community co-creation of sexual health education is essential. Additionally, offering HPV-SS as a screening option is crucial, given its demonstrated acceptability and feasibility within this population, many of whom lack a primary care provider and face discriminatory attitudes in healthcare settings. Full article

People with disabilities experience significant health inequalities and inequities compared to people without disabilities. However, there is little evidence on the frequency of health conditions and their association with disability in the prison context. The aim of this study was to compare the proportions and associations between various health conditions and different disability indicators. A secondary analysis of existing data from the Ecuador Prison Census 2022 was conducted. The variable of interest was based on three disability indicators from the six-item Washington Group Short Set on Functioning. A cross-tabulation was carried out to estimate the proportion of prisoners with different disability indicators by gender. These proportions were also calculated for different health conditions. Moreover, we analyzed the association between each of the three disability indicators and the different health conditions using multivariable logistic regression. A total of 30,612 incarcerated persons were included in the analysis, revealing that 8% had disabilities. According to gender, a higher proportion of women had disabilities (10.7% vs. 8.5%), some difficulty functioning (33.8% vs. 28.0%), and multiple disabilities (2.4% vs. 2.0%) compared to men. Furthermore, people with disabilities had a higher proportion of health conditions compared to those without a disability. Strong and very strong evidence of associations were found between different disability indicators and several health conditions, while a lower odds of drug use was observed in people with disabilities and multiple disabilities compared to their counterparts, and no evidence of association was found with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Our results reflect the health inequalities and inequities experienced by prisoners with disabilities. This highlights the need to implement targeted policies within prisons and to include prisoners with disabilities in the country’s agenda. Full article

We aimed to assess the temporal trends of incident syphilis and its associated risk factors among men with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) in Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of men with HIV attending an HIV clinic in Korea between 2005 and 2022. Of 767 men with HIV, 499 were included and contributed 3220 person-years (PY) of the observation period. Eighty-two patients were diagnosed with incident syphilis, with an overall incidence of 2.55/100 PY (95% confidence interval [CI] 20.56–31.53). The incidence of syphilis per 100 PY gradually decreased from 2.43 (0.79–7.42) in 2005–2007 to 1.85 (1.08–3.17) in 2014–2016; however, it increased to 3.0 (1.99–4.53) in 2017–2019, and further to 3.33 (2.26–4.89) in 2020–2022. A multivariate analysis identified young age (≤30 years versus >50, adjusted HR 6.27, 95% CI 2.38–16.56, p < 0.001), treponemal test positive at baseline (2.33, 1.48–3.67, p < 0.001), men who have sex with men (2.36, 1.34–4.16, p = 0.003), and history of incarceration (2.62, 1.21–5.67, p = 0.015) as risk factors for incident syphilis. Recently, syphilis incidence in men with HIV has increased in Korea, especially in young patients and at-risk groups, highlighting the need for enhanced regular screening and targeted behavioral interventions among these populations. Full article

The worldwide incarceration rate per 100,000 people varies from 30 in India, 580 in Europe, to 750 in United States. The health of prisoners is of great concern. Research in many countries has shown poor oral health conditions among prisoners, particularly reflected in the high number of lost and untreated decayed teeth. The aim of our study was to evaluate the quality and range in dental procedures conducted on male prisoners, based on a retrospective analysis of medical history gathered at the Academic Center of Dentistry and Specialistic Medicine of Medical University of Silesia in Bytom for the period 2018–2021, and its correlation with the results obtained from the analysis of the Web of Science (WoS) and SCOPUS medical databases. Our research was carried out on the examined group, 86 men (mean age 31 years old), and a control group, 106 men (mean age 32 years old). The retrospective analysis of the medical history was performed. Results of our own research showed the values for decayed and missing teeth were significantly higher in the examined group while the values for the filled teeth component were significantly higher in the control group. The chance for the occurrence of the radices was 2.5 times higher in the examined group than in the control. The examined group was characterized by 3.6 times higher chance of no root canal treatment than the control group. The number of the endodontically treated teeth was significantly higher in the control group. The examined group was characterized by 4.2 higher probability for periapical lesion occurrence in teeth that were not endodontically treated. The number of teeth qualified for the endodontic treatment was significantly higher in the examined group, while the number of teeth qualified for the reendow treatment was significantly higher in the control group. The probability for the occurrence of both vertical and horizontal atrophy in the alveolar process was twice and three times higher in the examined than in the control group. In conclusion, the oral status of inmates is worse when compared to those who live in freedom, which is why there is a need to prepare a scheme to improve the condition of the stomatognathic system in prisoners. Full article

Despite effective antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV), people who are incarcerated and those returning to the community face challenges in obtaining HCV treatment. We aimed to explore facilitators and barriers to HCV treatment during and after incarceration. From July–November 2020 and June–July 2021, we conducted 27 semi-structured interviews with residents who were formerly incarcerated in jail or prison. The interviews were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed. We used descriptive statistics to characterize the study sample and analyzed qualitative data thematically using an iterative process. Participants included five women and 22 men who self-identified as White (n = 14), Latinx (n = 8), and Black (n = 5). During incarceration, a key facilitator was having sufficient time to complete HCV treatment, and the corresponding barrier was delaying treatment initiation. After incarceration, a key facilitator was connecting with reentry programs (e.g., halfway house or rehabilitation program) that coordinated the treatment logistics and provided support with culturally sensitive staff. Barriers included a lack of insurance coverage and higher-ranking priorities (e.g., managing more immediate reentry challenges such as other comorbidities, employment, housing, and legal issues), low perceived risk of harm related to HCV, and active substance use. Incarceration and reentry pose distinct facilitators and challenges to accessing HCV treatment. These findings signal the need for interventions to improve engagement in HCV care both during and after incarceration to assist in closing the gap of untreated people living with HCV. Full article

While several prior studies have examined the prevalence and predictors of recidivism among juvenile homicide offenders (JHOs), much less scholarly attention has been devoted to exploring the post-release factors that influence JHOs to desist from criminal behavior. Given relatively recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court, individuals who commit homicide offenses as juveniles are less likely to spend the rest of their lives in prison. Accordingly, it is important to understand the factors associated with desistance in the post-incarceration lives of JHOs. The present study was designed to assess the effects of post-release factors on JHOs’ recidivism outcomes, using a sample of 19 male JHOs from a southeastern U.S. state who were convicted as adults and sentenced to serve time in prison in the 1980s. These men were interviewed approximately 35 years after their original homicide offense about their adjustment to life in prison and after release, as well as their reasons for engaging in criminal behavior during adolescence. Thematic qualitative analysis was used to identify the post-release factors that were prevalent in the lives of the JHOs who desisted from crime. These five factors included avoiding old neighborhood and friends, positive intimate relationship, stable employment, human agency, and generativity. The implications of the findings for the prevention of recidivism among JHOs, as well as avenues for future research, are discussed. Full article

This paper unpacks the contradiction between the benefits of literacy and the punitive prison policies that seek to curb or regulate reading by beginning with the complicated historical relationship between incarceration and literacy. I then turn to the testimonies of two prominent incarcerated autodidacts who I now regularly teach within my prison literature classes both on my university campus and at a men’s prison. The writings of Malcolm X and Etheridge Knight model the difficulties of negotiating the institutional risks and personal and political rewards of learning to read and write behind bars—particularly while Black. What is more, while literacy may provide an “on-ramp” toward higher education, barriers for incarcerated people continue to proliferate in our current era in the form of book bans, paywalls, and the material conditions of prisons themselves. Full article

A large body of research has documented the far-reaching health consequences of mass incarceration in the United States. Yet, less scholarship has examined the relationship between former incarceration and oral health, a key reflection of health and disease occurring within the rest of the body. Using data extracted from the National Survey of American Life (n = 3343), this study examines associations among former incarceration status, duration of detention, and self-reported oral health among African American women and men. Results from gender-stratified ordered logistic models reveal that formerly incarcerated African American men and women experience significantly poorer oral health than their never incarcerated counterparts even after controlling for important social determinants of health. Furthermore, oral health is curvilinearly associated with the length of time that men are incarcerated such that odds of poor health decrease as detention duration increases up to approximately 15 years incarcerated. After 15 years of detainment, the odds of poor health tend to increase as duration increases. Findings extend research identifying gendered spillover health consequences of contact with the criminal legal system. Health professionals and policymakers should be conscious of incarceration as an important deleterious experience for the immediate and long-term condition of people’s teeth, mouth, and gums. Full article

The ripple effect of incarceration is multifaceted. Studies show that imprisonment impacts the well-being of intimate and extended familial relationships, parental involvement, and financial support. Using data from the Multi-site Family Study on Incarceration, Parenting, and Partnering [MFS-IP], this study examined the effects of incarceration on families. The focus of this study is to examine the effect of family support on perpetrating physical violence. The findings revealed that the actor effect for men (p < 0.05) is statistically significant, meaning that men with less family support perpetuate higher levels of intimate partner violence (IPV). The partner effects for men to women (p < 0.05) is also statistically significant, meaning women with less family support coincide with men’s higher levels of IPV perpetration. Further, the effect of romantic attachment on perpetrating physical violence for men (p = 0.034) is statistically significant, meaning higher levels of romantic attachment towards the female partner coincides with their lower levels of perpetration of IPV. Clinical implications and future directions are provided. Full article

Support from social networks buffers against negative effects of stress but is disrupted by incarceration. Few studies examine incarceration, social support networks, and health among Black sexual minority men (BSMM) and Black transgender women (BTW). We conducted a secondary analysis using HIV Prevention Trials Network 061 (HPTN 061), a sample of BSMM/BTW recruited from six US cities. We measured associations between recent incarceration reported at six months follow-up and social support networks at twelve months follow-up, and cross-sectional associations between support networks and twelve-month health outcomes (e.g., sexual partnerships, substance use, healthcare access and depressive symptoms). Among the analytic sample (N = 1169), recent incarceration was associated with small medical support networks (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 1.16, 95% CI 1.01, 1.34) and small financial support networks (aRR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04, 1.35). Support networks were associated with multiple partnerships (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 0.77, 95% CI 0.65, 0.90), unhealthy alcohol use (aPR 1.20, 95% CI 0.96, 1.51), and depressive symptoms (aPR 1.16, 95% CI 0.99, 1.36). Incarceration adversely impacts social support networks of BSMM/BTW, and support networks were associated with a range of important health outcomes. Full article

Limited research has focused on how substance use and sexual risk behaviors differ among individuals impacted by the criminal legal system based on social identities. Using the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, we estimated relative risk for reporting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) among intersectional social groups with criminal legal involvement using a modified Poisson regression. We then utilized multivariate logistic regression and marginal effects to measure associations between substance use behaviors and STIs and to estimate whether these varied among the intersectional social groups with elevated STI rates. Three groups had elevated risk of reporting an STI compared to white, heterosexual men: white, heterosexual women (1.53, 95% CI: 1.05–2.20); Black, heterosexual women (2.03, 95% CI: 1.18–3.49); and white, gay or bisexual men (5.65, 95% CI: 2.61–12.20). Considering the intersections of gender, race, and sexual orientation, elevated risks for STIs among white and Black heterosexual women were mitigated after adjusting for substance use alongside other confounders. Only those who identified as white, gay or bisexual, and male had increased STI risk after controlling for substance use. Interventions targeting Black and white heterosexual women’s sexual health following incarceration should focus on substance use and interventions targeting white, gay or bisexual men should focus on healthy sexual behaviors, HIV/STI screening, and care continuum efforts. Full article

Psychopathy and intimate partner aggression (IPA) are two concepts that usually appear concomitantly. Male violence toward women is often considered a psychopathic trait that sometimes involves the woman’s homicide by her partner and, at other times, attempted homicide. This phenomenon has been studied by conducting interviews following Hare’s model with 92 men incarcerated under a compliance regime in a Spanish prison (Córdoba). The results detected six explanatory factors of IPA as a result of attempted homicide or homicide: criminal past and delinquency, impulsivity, the need to stand out from others, lack of empathy, manipulation of others, and instability in partner relationships. The first two factors predict a occurrence of high scores on Hare’s Psychopathy Checklist. The results are discussed, and future lines of research are presented, especially focused on the concept of dehumanization and revenge. Full article