Background
Throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, our research team monitored and documented policy changes in United States (U.S.) prison systems. Data sources included prison websites and official prison social media accounts. Over 2500 data sources relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic in U.S. prisons were located and summarized in to five different categories: 1) prevention, 2) case identification and intervention, 3) movement, 4) social communication and connection, and 5) programming, recreation, and privileges.
Results
All state prison systems reportedly enacted multiple policies intended to limit the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic. Document analysis revealed that the most commonly released policies were restrictions on social contacts and privileges, basic preventive measures (e.g., distribution of masks), and basic case identification measures (e.g., verbal screening and temperature checks). Utilization of social media for policy communication varied significantly across states, though relevant data was more often released on Facebook than Twitter.
Conclusions
Together, our work provides foundational knowledge on the wide breadth of policies that were reportedly enacted in the first year of the pandemic that may be used as a base for quantitative work on policy effectiveness and examinations of implementation.
Objective
The purpose of this study was to understand the uses of telehealth with justice‐involved adults under community supervision with substance use problems, including their experiences during the pandemic.
Methods
Structured interviews were administered among 17 justice‐involved adults under community supervision about their experiences with telehealth services to treat substance use disorders. Thematic coding was used for the analysis.
Results
We identified 5 primary themes: (1) knowledge about and experiences with telehealth services during the pandemic; (2) telehealth services available; (3) service changes during the pandemic; and (4) individual motivations around treatment‐seeking behavior.
Conclusion
Overall, our findings reveal that many individuals on probation or parole appreciate having access to telehealth and found that modality convenient for counseling services. Findings shed light on participants' understanding of telehealth, their experiences in using the modality, and how this modality may serve their needs in other ways. External and internal barriers to accessing telehealth are also discussed.
People who are incarcerated are likely to meet criteria for at least one substance use disorder and need access to treatment. Access to such interventions was limited prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and has almost certainly been restricted further due to implementation of procedures intended to stop the spread of the virus. In this brief commentary, we discuss how COVID-19 has revealed the already tenuous access that people who are incarcerated have to behavioral health services, and the pitfalls of reliance on the U.S. carceral system as a response to addiction.
is an industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologist for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). I/O psychology may be an overlooked area of psychology, but it is important to the functioning of many of the greatest industries and organizations in our country. Although Dr. Grubb performs job duties that are comparable to those of other psychologists, certain aspects of her job are atypical, given the environment and the decision-making that takes place within the FBI at both the national and international levels. Dr. Grubb was asked a series of questions about what makes working as a psychologist for the FBI an atypical job. Throughout the interview, she shared about the activities she is typically involved in, as well as how the "gravitas" of the mission and weight of the work make the job atypical.
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