Response- Women’s Needs After Release from Prison to a Rural Community

The article, Women’s Needs After Release from Prison to a Rural Community, by Lund et al. (2002) addresses the issue of women’s multidisciplinary needs post-release from prison.

Unfortunately, resources are limited due to a lack of social services and the denial of Medicare for women discharged after drug-related felony charges. Therefore, Lund et al. (2002) attempt to shed light on the specific needs and services of women newly released from prison to aid in the transition from prison to community life. Such research can aid in improving existing resources, creating new services, and informing service providers on how to reach these clients.

The introduction included commentary on the prevalence of infectious diseases,

including sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis, and tuberculosis, in prisons. Additional common health concerns include pregnancy, chronic disease, and respiratory conditions. Upon

release, women may not have access to health care, like Medicaid, and do not have the resources to pay out of pocket for medical care. This begs the macro-policy question: why are federally funded medical insurance companies allowed to discriminate against otherwise eligible

customers? Therefore, these women may avoid going to the doctor, thus perpetuation these health concerns. Affordable housing is another concern for newly released women. Due to the

lack of social support from friends and family and the inhibition of people with criminal records to find jobs, many women cannot find housing upon release from prison. Finally, a majority of

incarcerated women are mothers. Often, the children of incarcerated mothers are faced with significant challenges, like poor peer support and anxiety. Due to the lack of programming

support to help women transition back into the community, the women are faced with the same – if not greater – challenges as they did before prison. This results in high recidivism rates and

worsening conditions for ex-convicts. While some states have recognized the need for increased reentry support, the demand has been ignored nationally.

The present study seeks to pinpoint the discharge needs of imprisoned women prior to their release and to recommend the improvement of specific services in a rural community.

Twenty-three participants were collected from a rural women’s prison, all of whom qualified for parole, probation, or release within the following 12 months. A 26-question survey with open- ended and checklist questions was administered to each participant. Five specific categories of questions were asked: demographics, concerns upon release, economics, women’s and children’s issues, and health care.

The first category discussed was the demographics which indicated that a majority of the women were imprisoned for crimes related to drugs. This indicates that drug-related treatment and resources should be a priority in this prison and the surrounding community. Additionally,

the average level of education was 11.9 years. Understanding the question – how does this

statistic compare to that of the surrounding community? – might provide evidence of educational gaps between offenders and non-offenders. Additionally, this might emphasize the importance of educational resources as both a prevention and rehabilitation service. Second, were the concerns of the women upon release. The most prevalent concerns were employment, drug use, family, and medical/counseling treatment. While services like Alcoholics Anonymous, family

counseling, therapy, and financial aid in advanced schooling were all selected as beneficial services, the most common service (at 90% response) was that of counseling. Furthermore, only 39% of the women intended to work after being released from prison. A more in-depth analysis of why the participants either felt like they could not work or opted out of working should be considered. Such research could indicate a need for vocational training and job-specific

counseling during and after incarceration. Third, of the participants who had children, most planned on taking care of their children upon being released. Fortunately, most of the women indicated that their children did have health insurance and were currently under the care of a

relative. Fourth, most of the participants described their health status as good, but a majority also reported at least one health concern. Therefore, the question that arises from these self-reported accounts is, what misconceptions do people, especially those in prison, have about what “good” health is? Further, how could these misconceptions be corrected by education? Then, how can adequate health-related education and health care be provided to women in prison and post-

release?

Through personal accounts, the study was able to access data regarding the imprisoned women’s concerns and perception of their needs to transition out of prison and into the community. Notably, vocational assistance could ease many of the concerns listed, such as acquiring medical insurance and taking care of one’s children. However, based on the accounts of the women in the study, it would seem as though their expectations for preparedness upon release are high and potentially unrealistic. Therefore, it is imperative that the prisons have programs in place to prepare the prisoners for how to acquire healthcare, childcare, and a job.

The prison could provide these programs by collaborating with community resources and making referrals upon the women’s releases. However, something that was never addressed in the article is: how does the rural location of this prison affect the prisoners’ abilities to find adequate community resources following their release?

References

Lund, R., Hyde, R., Kempson, D., & Clarke, P. N. (2002). Women’s needs after release from prison to a rural community. Journal of Correctional Health Care, 9(3), 271–288. https://doi.org/10.1177/107834580200900305

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