Understanding the Healthcare Needs of Individuals on Probation

• In Event: Community Supervision: Complexity and Effectiveness

Abstract

While great attention has been paid to that alarmingly high rates of individuals incarcerated in U.S. prisons or jails, much less attention is paid to the equally alarming fact that there are nearly seven million under probationary supervision (Carson, 2014; Minton and Golinelli, 2014; Maruschak & Bonczar, 2013). Persons involved in both the National and the Delaware probation systems present a multitude of health issues and are less likely to access health care and other social services compared to those not involved in the system. Probationers are facing a complex combination of issues beyond system involvement: access to substance abuse treatment, mental and general health services, education, job skills/employment, housing, and community integration (Vaughn et al., 2012; Binswanger et. al., 2011). This study utilizes a screening and linkage to care process that takes place in one probation office in the state of Delaware. The results from this screener data will provide for a more detailed assessment of the health needs of probationers than currently exists in the literature.

Authors

• Daniel O'Connell, University of Delaware

• Patricia Becker, University of Delaware

• Christy Visher, University of Delaware