Environmental influences on services for and mental health of incarcerated populations: A review

Abstract

There has been growing concern about the quality of health services, including mental health services, within the world’s and prisons. The purpose of the current qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis (QIMS) is to examine the prison environment and how it influences the mental health services delivered to prisoners. It is the hope of these authors that with this QIMS, knowledge improvements and modifications to current policies and practices can begin to take shape. A total of five studies published between 2003 and 2013 were utilized for this QIMS. Participants in all five studies included males and females incarcerated in England, Wales, and the United States. Three overarching themes were identified after analysis: difficulties with accessing services, difficulties with primary staff, and isolation. In each overarching theme, sub-themes are reviewed in detail. These three broad categories are discussed in relation to the person-in-environment system, demonstrating its application in an incarcerated setting.

The association between imported factors and prisoners' mental health: Implications for adaptation and intervention

“…The observed prevalence rate was nearly twice that found in the wider community and statistically significant. However, despite the markedly higher rate of mental health difficulties in the prison population, it is widely recognized that mental health service provision for prisoners is far from commensurate with the community setting (Terry et al, 2016) and the mental health needs of many prisoners are frequently neglected (Edgar and Rickford, 2009). Such a high prevalence rate, coupled with what is known about the relationship of poor mental health and longer term outcomes, provides further evidence of the legitimacy of the way in which policy makers and prison personnel have been highlighting their concerns (Bradley, 2009;Owers, 2007) and supports the general direction of the UN (UN, 2016).…”

“…Such a high prevalence rate, coupled with what is known about the relationship of poor mental health and longer term outcomes, provides further evidence of the legitimacy of the way in which policy makers and prison personnel have been highlighting their concerns (Bradley, 2009;Owers, 2007) and supports the general direction of the UN (UN, 2016). It should add impetus to the drive to improve mental health services for prisoners (Terry at al., 2016) and to consider their well-being in-line with community-based, person-centred provision (Care Act, 2014; Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act, 2014)…”

Transportation Barriers to Successful Reentry among Returning Citizens: A Qualitative Interpretive Meta-synthesis

“…QIMS has also been used to synthesize topics involving justice-involved populations. Terry et al (2018) reviewed environmental influences on services and mental health for incarcerated populations. Sliva (2015) explored the lived experiences of life without parole, and Nordberg et al (2016) explored minority youth encounters with police officers.…”