UK incarceration conditions: health implications and government legislations

Abstract

The study purpose is to explore the impact of UK prison living standards upon the health and wellbeing of individuals incarcerated and how the government legislation is upheld and how the principles outlined within the legislations influence health implications. The results from this study present that the standard of UK prison accommodations in fact does have an overall negative impact upon the health and wellbeing of inmates, with mental health being influenced and impacted by the majority. The study also highlights the distinct differences between the health impacts for incarcerated men in comparison to women incarcerated, through investigating women’s prisons in regards to maternal and perinatal concerns and the problems this inflicts upon their mental health, ranging from depression and anxiety to attachment, as well as the physical health and wellbeing. Furthermore, after exploring government policies and legislation regarding the health and wellbeing of incarcerated people, the results clearly outline the organisations involved and responsible for ensuring the safety, health and wellbeing of inmates within the UK, and how multi-disciplinary working is used in order to attempt to upkeep this. On the whole, the dissertation exemplifies how the prison establishments of the UK, typically worsen health and wellbeing in all aspects and throughout the chapters focuses on specific issues created and prolonged through essentially living within a UK prison.