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JSS BANNER 1
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PRISON IS NOT A HEALTHY PLACE
ANEX HARM REDUCTION CONFERENCE 2004 PETER
NORDEN, S.J. POLICY DIRECTOR JESUIT SOCIAL
SERVICES
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS BEING USED AS AN
INSTRUMENT OF SOCIAL CONTROL BY THE STATE, AND
THE VICTIMS ARE THE POOR, THE HOMELESS, THE
LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED, THE MENTALLY ILL, AND THOSE
WHO SELF-MEDICATE TO EASE THE PAIN.
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HEPATITIS C VIRUS AMONG INMATES IN VICTORIAN
CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES

• THE LATEST SURVEY OF VICTORIAN PRISONERS,
  COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER 2002, DISCOVERED THAT
• 57.5 OF THOSE SURVEYED (362 OF 642) HAD
  CONTRACTED HCV.
• 68.6 OF THE PRISONERS SURVEYED REPORTED HAVING
  INJECTED DRUGS, OF WHICH 79.1 WERE HCV POSITIVE.
• 74.9 OF PRISONERS WHO HAD EVER INJECTED DRUGS
  REPORTED INJECTING DRUGS WHILE IN PRISON.

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PRISONS THE NEW ASYLUMS

• IN THE DECADE FROM 1990 TO THE YEAR 2000, THERE
  WAS A 32 INCREASE IN THE RATE OF IMPRISONMENT.
• THIS REPRESENTED AN INCREASE OF 52 IN THE TOTAL
  PRISON POPULATION .
• OUR RESEARCH LAST YEAR, FOUND THAT IN THE LAST
  DECADE IN VICTORIA, THERE HAD BEEN A 138
  INCREASE ON PRISON EXPENDITURE, THE EQUIVALENT
  INCREASE FOR THE STATES MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
  WAS ONLY 88 .
• NATIONALLY, THE RECURRENT EXPENDITURE ON
  CORRECTIVE SERVICES TOTALLED 1.5 BILLION FOR
  2000-01, WITH 1.3 BILLION BEING SPENT ON THE
  OPERATION OF THE COUNTRYS 96 PRISONS .

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VICTORIAN PRISONER HEALTH STUDY

• 36 OF THE PRISONERS WHO WERE SURVEYED HAD BEEN
  TOLD THAT THEY HAD A MENTAL ILLNESS.
• 15 OF THE PRISONERS QUESTIONED REPORTED THAT
  THEY WERE CURRENTLY RECEIVING MEDICATION.

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VICTORIAN PRISONER HEALTH STUDY CONTD

• ALMOST 27 OF THE PRISON POPULATION MET THE
  CUT-OFF SCORE FOR PSYCHIATRIC DISTURBANCE AS A
  RESULT OF DEPRESSION ON THE REFERRAL DECISION
  SCALE.
• MORE THAN 15 OF PRISONERS HAD BEEN ADMITTED TO
  HOSPITAL FOR THIS PROBLEM.
• MORE THAN 30 OF THE PRISONERS QUESTIONED HAD
  ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

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GEOGRAPHICAL CONCENTRATION OF PRISON POPULATION
IN VICTORIA, 25 OF THE CURRENT PRISON POPULATION
CAME FROM JUST 2.1 OF THE 647 POSTCODES IN THIS
STATE, AND HALF OF THE PRISON POPULATION CAME
FROM JUST 7.3 OF POSTCODES.
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CONCLUSION
THE PRISONS ARE BEING ASKED TO DEAL WITH
SUBSTANTIAL GENERAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH
NEEDS OF THE WIDER SOCIETY AND IS BEING FORCED TO
EXTEND ITS RESPONSIBILITIES IN RESPONDING TO
SERIOUS CRIMINAL OFFENCES.
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