Guest guest Posted December 18, 2008 Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2008/12/17/7775041-sun.html Sick inmates costly Loss of needle-exchange programs behind rising prison care costs, access documents show By KATHLEEN HARRIS, NATIONAL BUREAU CHIEF Last Updated: 17th December 2008, The cost of caring for sick federal inmates is climbing fast, with the average figure now 2.4 times more than a Canadian on the street. Figures obtained by Sun Media through Access to Information show health care costs in penitentiaries -- including treatments, methadone and medicines -- swelled to nearly $150 million last year, up from $132 million the year before. Correctional Service of Canada says the higher costs are due to rampant mental health problems, substance abuse and infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C. There's also a high prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disorders behind bars, said spokeswoman Christa McGregor. SPECIALIZED CARE Along with the higher rates of sickness and disease, security requirements of the prison environment also drive up the costs, she said. CSC institutions have their own health units offering routine medical and dental services, as well as mental health treatment centres and regional hospitals for post-surgical and palliative care. Community services also provide specialized care. Craig , executive director of the Society of Canada, said the majority of offenders have grown up with poor diets and unhealthy lifestyle habits. He said the stress and confinement of prison life can produce -- or worsen -- physical and psychological conditions. " You almost could not design a place that is more harmful to a healthy person than a prison, " he said. said the Conservative government has unwisely rejected public health initiatives such as needle-exchange and clean tattoo programs that could help stop the spread of blood-borne diseases. This ideologically driven approach over " evidence-based solutions " does nothing to reduce harm and actually leads to increased health care costs, he said. Elliott, executive director of the Canadian HIV-AIDS Legal Network, said the rate of HIV is 10 times higher in prisons than in the general population -- and 20 times higher for hepatitis C. He called it " boneheaded " that the government won't allow sterile injection rooms or clean tattooing equipment inside prisons. " They have a zero tolerance policy for drugs, which is misguided. It's just not practical to think you're going to keep drugs out of prisons, " he said. 'DRUGS DO GET IN' " Notwithstanding all the money that they spend on it, drugs do get in to prisons and they have forever. Let's take some pragmatic steps to prevent some of these public health problems. " About 60 countries, including Switzerland, Germany and Spain, have implemented needle-exchange programs to help stop the spread of infectious diseases Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2008 Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2008/12/17/7775041-sun.html Sick inmates costly Loss of needle-exchange programs behind rising prison care costs, access documents show By KATHLEEN HARRIS, NATIONAL BUREAU CHIEF Last Updated: 17th December 2008, The cost of caring for sick federal inmates is climbing fast, with the average figure now 2.4 times more than a Canadian on the street. Figures obtained by Sun Media through Access to Information show health care costs in penitentiaries -- including treatments, methadone and medicines -- swelled to nearly $150 million last year, up from $132 million the year before. Correctional Service of Canada says the higher costs are due to rampant mental health problems, substance abuse and infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C. There's also a high prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disorders behind bars, said spokeswoman Christa McGregor. SPECIALIZED CARE Along with the higher rates of sickness and disease, security requirements of the prison environment also drive up the costs, she said. CSC institutions have their own health units offering routine medical and dental services, as well as mental health treatment centres and regional hospitals for post-surgical and palliative care. Community services also provide specialized care. Craig , executive director of the Society of Canada, said the majority of offenders have grown up with poor diets and unhealthy lifestyle habits. He said the stress and confinement of prison life can produce -- or worsen -- physical and psychological conditions. " You almost could not design a place that is more harmful to a healthy person than a prison, " he said. said the Conservative government has unwisely rejected public health initiatives such as needle-exchange and clean tattoo programs that could help stop the spread of blood-borne diseases. This ideologically driven approach over " evidence-based solutions " does nothing to reduce harm and actually leads to increased health care costs, he said. Elliott, executive director of the Canadian HIV-AIDS Legal Network, said the rate of HIV is 10 times higher in prisons than in the general population -- and 20 times higher for hepatitis C. He called it " boneheaded " that the government won't allow sterile injection rooms or clean tattooing equipment inside prisons. " They have a zero tolerance policy for drugs, which is misguided. It's just not practical to think you're going to keep drugs out of prisons, " he said. 'DRUGS DO GET IN' " Notwithstanding all the money that they spend on it, drugs do get in to prisons and they have forever. Let's take some pragmatic steps to prevent some of these public health problems. " About 60 countries, including Switzerland, Germany and Spain, have implemented needle-exchange programs to help stop the spread of infectious diseases Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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