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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 9:03 pm
Time: 9:03 pm
Results for prisoners (georgia, u.s.)
2 results foundAuthor: Southern Center for Human Rights Title: Roadblocks to Reform: Perils for Georgia's Criminal Justice System Summary: Georgia has the highest rate of adults under correctional control of any state in the country, and its corrections budget reflects this fact. This report evaluates current practices of Georgia's Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform, including the contracting out of government responsibilities of running correctional facilities to private companies. It details the risks posed by contracting out and proposes common-sense reforms to cabin the perverse incentives of private companies: increasing transparency, enforcing accountability, and evaluating costs and performance, while also ensuring respect for the constitutional rights of those facing criminal charges or serving prison terms. Details: Atlanta, GA: Southern Center for Human Rights, 2012. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.inthepublicinterest.org/sites/default/files/SCHR%20Roadblocks%20to%20Reform%20-%20Georgia%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.inthepublicinterest.org/sites/default/files/SCHR%20Roadblocks%20to%20Reform%20-%20Georgia%20FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 127438 Keywords: Correctional InstitutionsCriminal Justice SystemsPrison ReformPrisoners (Georgia, U.S.) |
Author: McCullough, Alison N. Title: An Evaluation of the Pre-Release Planning Program of the Georgia Department of Corrections and a Qualitative Assessment of Reentry Experiences of Program Participants Summary: Higher rates of HIV are seen within correctional systems across the United States. Georgia has one of the largest correctional populations in the country and HIV rates among prisoners are elevated when compared to the state as a whole. In 2008. 2.1% of state prisoners in Georgia were living with HIV. A focal point for the public health system is the moment of release and reentry into the community. Prison systems are responsible for the healthcare of persons in their custody and the public health system typically has limited access to this population until release. Federal programs like Ryan White seek to address the needs of underserved populations with limited access to HIV care. The Ryan White system has facilitated access to Georgia prisoners prior to release by funding the Pre-Release Planning Program, which provides case management and linkage to medical care for persons living with HIV in Georgia state prisons. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the Pre-Release Planning Program of the Georgia Department of Corrections and to identify reentry needs unique to persons living with HIV. An assessment of the program was conducted to determine strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. This assessment was informed by the post-release experiences of program participants who described their own reentry journeys through semi-structured qualitative interviews. Methods: For the purpose of this study secondary analysis was conducted on qualitative interviews. A convenience sample consisting of 45 Pre-Release Planning Program participants was recruited to complete a semi-structured qualitative interview following their release in 2009-2010. All 45 persons recruited consented to be contacted for an interview three to 12 months after release. A research interviewer successfully located 25 members of the original sample and they all agreed to participate. They completed an informed consent and were compensated with a cash incentive for their time. The interviews covered a broad range of topics related to: general reentry challenges, HIV, health, risk behaviors, and feelings about the Pre-Release Planning Program. In addition a structure and process evaluation of the Pre-release Planning Program was conducted within the framework of a quality improvement perspective. A stakeholder analysis identified persons and organizations best equipped to promote quality improvement efforts for this program. Recommendations for improvement were developed from the program evaluation and qualitative analysis of participants‟ reentry experiences. Results: Areas for improvement were identified for the Pre-Release Planning Program in both structure and process. The program is understaffed and incapable of reaching every person living with HIV in the Georgia Department of Corrections, more concrete linkages to community resources are sorely needed, and data collection and management activities are deficient. For former program participants three central needs were identified: housing, health (HIV, chronic conditions, and mental) and income (employment or benefits). Stigma (HIV and felony status) and risk behaviors (sexual and substance misuse) negatively impacted stability of housing, health and income. Overall the Pre-Release Planning Program was incapable of addressing most post-release barriers to HIV care and successful reentry. Strengths of the program included linkage to a Ryan White Clinic, provision of prison medical records, referrals to general social service agencies and its acceptability among interviewed participants. Participants reported appreciating the services available pre-release and were able to reflect on specific examples of how they were helpful. Conclusions: Qualitative analysis indicated that participants appreciated the Pre-Release Planning Program and deeply desired to address their health needs post-release. However, their reentry narratives illustrated a need for far more comprehensive pre-release and post-release services to ensure continuity of HIV care and successful reintegration into their home community. The structural and individual challenges faced by persons living with HIV leaving the prison system demand comprehensive integrated services to assure access to HIV care and avoid recidivism. Minimally, housing, health and income must be addressed to ensure successful reentry. To holistically attend to the needs of this population multiple forms of stigma and risk factors in the community must be mediated by working with the individual and promoting systemic changes. Social determinants of health affecting reentry experiences in Georgia must be addressed through policy changes which have the capacity to reach farther than a single Pre-Release Planning program nestled in the Department of Corrections. Details: Atlanta: Georgia State University, 2011. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 30, 2013 at: http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1197&context=iph_theses Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1197&context=iph_theses Shelf Number: 128856 Keywords: Health CareHIV (Viruses)Prisoner ReentryPrisoners (Georgia, U.S.)Prisons |