Behind Foreign Bars: A study on the health problems among prisoners in foreign detention

• In Event: PWG - Healthcare needs and the integration of public health into correctional systems

Abstract

Research has shown that physical and mental health problems are more prevalent among prison populations, both before, during and after imprisonment. However, previous prison research focused primarily on prisoners who were imprisoned in the country in which they live and little is known about those detained abroad. Due to the increasing globalisation and opening of borders opportunities for criminal activities across borders (e.g., drugs trafficking, organized crime) increased and a substantial and growing group of people is imprisoned abroad, in the country where they committed the offense. As these prisoners may constitute a different group from those imprisoned in their home country, prior results about health problems prior to imprisonment may not be generalizable to this group. Moreover, they may be exposed to more severe and unhygienic circumstances and have less access to health services during their foreign imprisonment. This study therefore examines the physical and mental health problems of Dutch prisoners who were imprisoned abroad. About 600 case files from the International Office of the Dutch Probation Service were coded to obtain information about their health problems both before and during their imprisonment abroad. In addition, register data of Statistic Netherlands were used to obtain more information on their medicine use and healthcare expenditures in the Netherlands, prior to the prison sentence. The results of this study will provide more insights into the health problems that this specific group of prisoners experience before and during their prison spell in a foreign country, and can improve the help and support that is provided to them.

Authors

• Steve van de Weijer, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement

• Kiki von Piekartz, NSCR

• Juliette Jonkers, NSCR/VU