title: Criminal (in)justice in the city and its associated health consequences.
abstract: The American system of prisons and prisoners-described by its critics as the prison-industrial complex-has grown rapidly since 1970. Increasingly punitive sentencing guidelines and the privatization of prison-related industries and services account for much of this growth. Those who enter and leave this system are increasingly Black or Latino, poorly educated, lacking vocational skills, struggling with drugs and alcohol, and disabled. Few correctional facilities mitigate the educational and/or skills deficiencies of their inmates, and most inmates will return home to communities that are ill equipped to house or rehabilitate them. A more humanistic and community-centered approach to incarceration and rehabilitation may yield more beneficial results for individuals, communities, and, ultimately, society.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. cag2029@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Golembeski
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fullilove
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006291:Health Policy; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006808:Humanism; D006801:Humans; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011330:Prisons / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011332:Privatization / Q000458:organization & administration; D011634:Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011678:Punishment; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013240:Stereotyping; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*