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The Healthy Prison
Toxic chemicals are released into land, air, and waterways daily. Exposure to such chemicals, however, is not equally distributed across the U.S. It is well documented that communities without agency and capital, typically economically and socially disadvantaged, are those that suffer the brunt of the impacts of a polluted environment. These impacts can have both acute and chronic health consequences, leading to lower life expectancy, higher cancer rates, and compromised immune systems. Emerging qualitative work indicates that incarcerated persons – individuals who have no agency to leave their environment – are disproportionately affected by our polluting practices. This study argues that environmental regulations across the country allow polluting industries to poison confined populations. Nationwide data from the Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory is used to examine if industries geographically closer to correctional facilities emit greater amounts of toxic chemicals. Regional differences are examined as well. Results identify a pattern of harm – incarcerated persons who already have compromised health are also exposed to high levels of toxic chemicals.
Through in-depth interviews, this study focuses on the experiences and perceptions of 15 Black, female correctional officers (COs) employed at Rikers Island, one of the country’s biggest jail complexes. Furthermore, this paper underlines the experiences of COs during the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit New York City particularly hard in spring 2020. Thematic analysis suggests that participants do not receive needed mental health services from the Department of Correction; experience physical and mental health stressors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and negatively perceive the impact of COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of justice-involved individuals.
Nearly half of the incarcerated population experience mental health problems. Service use, however, is rare. There may be benefits for individuals who continue treatment upon incarceration (i.e., fewer or less intense pains of imprisonment). Researchers suggest that effects of treatment may differ by gender; distinct barriers to services may exist and accessing treatment may have unique effects on experienced strains. No study to date examines whether continuation of services protects at-risk groups from in-prison strains, and whether these effects are gendered. This article examines the effects of service utilization using a nationally representative sample of inmates. Results indicate that effects of continued service use vary, protecting women against some in-prison strains. Implications for theory, research, and policy are discussed.
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