Nursing in the American Justice System

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Criminal Justice
• Nursing

Background:

• Community-based mental health services are insufficient for individuals interacting with the criminal justice system.
• The criminal justice system acts as an unintended safety net for public mental health, leading to mass incarceration of mentally ill individuals.
• Current challenges for correctional nursing remain inadequately articulated despite advances in nursing's role.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance awareness of Correctional Nursing.
• To discuss the challenges faced by nurses working at the intersection of justice and public health.
• To respond to the Future of Nursing report by highlighting issues in correctional/custody settings.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and discussion of challenges.
• Analysis of the intersection of public health and the criminal justice system.
• Examination of the role of nurses in prisons, jails, detention centers, and community supervision.

Main Results:

• Massive numbers of mentally ill individuals are funneled into the prison system.
• Warehousing of mentally ill individuals in correctional facilities is reminiscent of past inhumane practices.
• Specific challenges for correctional/custody nursing require greater articulation and attention.

Conclusions:

• The criminal justice system is ill-equipped to manage the public mental health crisis.
• Correctional nursing is a critical but under-recognized field facing significant obstacles.
• Further attention to the needs and challenges of correctional nurses is essential for improving care.