In commenting on statistics surrounding the healthcare provider that was replaced, the former head of the company stressed that jail death rates cannot provide a complete picture of the quality of performance. He said that jails have a complicated population set with two distinct types of prisoners. There are those in jail for under a month and those who cannot afford bail or they are serving post-conviction sentences. He went on to say that he does not agree with the assumptions resulting from death statistics.

In fact, the mortality rate in a particular jail does result from a variety of factors. The overall health of the population and budget size both have an effect on medical care outcomes. All in all, however, statistics show that medical care managed by the leading contractors has consistently higher percentages of custodial deaths than medical care that is managed locally.

The Rise of Medical Care for Inmates

Prior to the 1970s, the amount of healthcare provided in jails was minimal. First aid was just about the most jails offered, according to a survey conducted in 1972. That changed in 1976 because of a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. It was ruled that if the medical needs of an inmate are treated with “deliberate indifference,” that action amounts to wanton and needless infliction of pain, which is a violation of the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. As a result of that finding, inmates affected by lack of medical care began to sue jails, and the correctional health care industry was born in the 1980s.

Learn more about this story in Part 1, Part 2, and the ongoing posts in this series.

The purpose of this and all posts on this site is to provide information. There is not an intent to suggest that any organization, person, or institution has been involved in wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor