Poor physical or mental health ultimately increases the chances of formerly imprisoned individuals to re-offend and return to prison, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal Criminology.
According to the researchers, the field's flagship journal - is the first known study to identify the indirect links between mental and physical health limitations and recidivism and reincarceration.
Medical Crime - The Horror of the Horrors
Designed to save lives, medicine secretly holds an ugly history. Intrigued? Read on to know more...
Advertisement
‘Poor mental and physical health affect the chances of maintaining employment, positive family relationships which may eventually lead to commit more crime.’
Tweet it Now
"We've flipped the script with this study," says Link. "Most researchers studying mental and physical health are showing how incarceration harms mental and physical health. We are seeing how mental and physical health affects one's ability to stop committing crimes and reenter society successfully."
Prior research, explains Link, has determined that certain structural factors keep people on the right course - employment and strong family relationships being chief among them.
![Crime Scene Science - The Past, Present and Future of Forensics]( "Crime Scene Science - The Past, Present and Future of Forensics")
Murder investigations and crime reports, as they appear on television, have glamorized the field of forensic science. Get a quick glimpse into the future of forensics, and where it stands today.
"People term these structural factors as 'turning points,'" says Link. "For instance, a job pushes you away from a criminal lifestyle because your goals change. You also might define yourself differently as someone who has a job and supports a family."
In light of these known structural factors, the researchers examined longitudinal data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI), a comprehensive data set of former prisoners released in 12 states, to determine how physical and mental health at the time of release impact family conflict, employment, financial hardship, and two measures of recidivism: self-reported crime and reincarceration.
According to Link, they found that consistent with expectations; physical health limitations decrease the chance of employment. They posit that, if one's physical health has been hampered, an individual is less likely to secure and maintain a job. To compound matters further, individuals reentering society are more likely to wind up working in physically taxing jobs, such as construction, landscaping, or warehouse work.
"For instance, if you have a bad leg, you may have trouble getting to your job, or have a lot of difficulties doing the work that is expected of you," says Link.
In turn, says Link, they found that individuals who have difficulty finding and maintaining employment are more likely to reoffend and be reincarcerated.
"From prior research, we already know that employment is a protective factor from committing a crime," explains Link. "We see now how physical health strongly shapes employment prospects and ultimately affects recidivism."
In the same respect, says the Rutgers-Camden researcher, they found that those who report having depressive symptoms were subsequently more likely to report a significant family conflict, which, in turn, is shown to be a strong predictor of criminal behavior and recidivism.
"As with physical health, you see a similar dynamic where poor mental health ultimately increases the chances of reoffending and getting reincarcerated through its adverse impact on family conflict," says Link. From a policy standpoint, says the Rutgers-Camden researcher, the findings show the need to focus efforts on improving physical and mental health among the incarcerated population and avert health-related reentry failures.
"If we don't care about their physical and mental wellbeing, this research shows that these individuals are more likely to go out and commit crimes and get reincarcerated," says Link. "That doesn't benefit anyone, including their family members and taxpayers."
Link recommends several practical and realistic health measures that could be implemented, including ensuring incarcerated individuals have a proper diet and exercise.
He notes that opponents of the plan might argue that providing cheap, low-quality food is saving taxpayer dollars. However, this paper suggests that it is only cost saving in the short term.
"If you exacerbate or cause these health issues to emerge, you are setting in motion processes that are worse and not beneficial for anyone in the long run," he says.
Source: Eurekalert
Crime Scene Science - The Past, Present and Future of Forensics
Murder investigations and crime reports, as they appear on television, have glamorized the field of forensic science. Get a quick glimpse into the future of forensics, and where it stands today.
Advertisement
"People term these structural factors as 'turning points,'" says Link. "For instance, a job pushes you away from a criminal lifestyle because your goals change. You also might define yourself differently as someone who has a job and supports a family."
In light of these known structural factors, the researchers examined longitudinal data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI), a comprehensive data set of former prisoners released in 12 states, to determine how physical and mental health at the time of release impact family conflict, employment, financial hardship, and two measures of recidivism: self-reported crime and reincarceration.
According to Link, they found that consistent with expectations; physical health limitations decrease the chance of employment. They posit that, if one's physical health has been hampered, an individual is less likely to secure and maintain a job. To compound matters further, individuals reentering society are more likely to wind up working in physically taxing jobs, such as construction, landscaping, or warehouse work.
"For instance, if you have a bad leg, you may have trouble getting to your job, or have a lot of difficulties doing the work that is expected of you," says Link.
In turn, says Link, they found that individuals who have difficulty finding and maintaining employment are more likely to reoffend and be reincarcerated.
"From prior research, we already know that employment is a protective factor from committing a crime," explains Link. "We see now how physical health strongly shapes employment prospects and ultimately affects recidivism."
In the same respect, says the Rutgers-Camden researcher, they found that those who report having depressive symptoms were subsequently more likely to report a significant family conflict, which, in turn, is shown to be a strong predictor of criminal behavior and recidivism.
"As with physical health, you see a similar dynamic where poor mental health ultimately increases the chances of reoffending and getting reincarcerated through its adverse impact on family conflict," says Link. From a policy standpoint, says the Rutgers-Camden researcher, the findings show the need to focus efforts on improving physical and mental health among the incarcerated population and avert health-related reentry failures.
"If we don't care about their physical and mental wellbeing, this research shows that these individuals are more likely to go out and commit crimes and get reincarcerated," says Link. "That doesn't benefit anyone, including their family members and taxpayers."
Link recommends several practical and realistic health measures that could be implemented, including ensuring incarcerated individuals have a proper diet and exercise.
He notes that opponents of the plan might argue that providing cheap, low-quality food is saving taxpayer dollars. However, this paper suggests that it is only cost saving in the short term.
"If you exacerbate or cause these health issues to emerge, you are setting in motion processes that are worse and not beneficial for anyone in the long run," he says.
Source: Eurekalert
Being Impulsive While Online Can Make You Cybercrime Victim
People who show signs of low self-control are the ones we found more susceptible to malware attacks.
Advertisement
Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Reading
Latest Research News
New study findings delineate how aging affects the immune response following Spinal cord injury (SCI) and highlight the participation of the spinal cord meninges in repair.
A recent clinical trial suggests that the first medication therapy to reduce the progression of nearsightedness in children could be on the way.
Autoimmune disorders were found to be linked to Sjogren's, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic sclerosis.
Successful brain pacemaker implantation has helped a 51year old Parkinson's disease patient to revitalize her quality of life.
Recent recommendations on lifestyle behaviors to prevent progression of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases revealed.