Infectious diseases among inmate populations Essay

Infectious diseases among inmate populations - attempt ExampleAs this problem escalates, the monetary costs to society continues to rise and are much greater than if the diseases were disc everywhereed and treated at an earlier time, in the prison system prior to release. Prisons are in a unique position to treat inmates while the infectious condition is still in its early stages thus ultimately less costly to taxpayers. Though considerable economic, logistical and political barriers must be overcome to genuinely improve health care in the prison system, there are methods by which to begin solving this worsening health crisis in the prisons and wider community.The U.S. prison system has undergone a transformation over the past quarter century as a result of and a response to extensive studies that excite been conducted to determine the consequences of the rising inmate population. In just 20 years, the bend of persons held in U.S. prisons jumped substantially. The nations war on d rugs included mandatory sentencing guidelines which were principally responsible for the increase of 216,000 total prisoners in 1974 to 2004s figure of 1.4 million. During this period, in just a 10-year span, the percentage of prisoners convicted of drug offenses to the highest degree tripled. In 1985, only 38,900, 8.6 percent, of verbalise prison inmates were serving time for drug offenses as their most serious crime committed. By 1995, that number had increased almost six-fold to 224,900, 22.7 percent of all inmates (Skolnik, 1994). Today, the U.S. houses nearly two million inmates. In 1978, the number of persons in the entire penal system, those in prisons, jails and on probation or parole totaled 1.5 million. In 2004 this number stood at almost seven million. The overall correctional population, including persons in prison, jail, and on parole and probation, has jumped from 1.5 million in 1978 to nearly 7 million in 2004 (Ethical, 2006).Approximately