# What kind of healthcare provision do US prisoners receive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072 "2009-08-20T14:07:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/41 "2009-08-21T23:13:34Z")
> [@medstar](#): > > On the subject of compassionate relief for terminally ill and/or very elderly prisoners; what if they have no where to go to on the outside? What happens if no one in their family will agree to take them in? Is the prisoner just dumped in a halfway house? Our social workers will generally secure medicare or other coverage where applicable, and locate a nursing facility that will accept them. We’ve on occasion discharged them to hospice care if that was their choice, and available to them. ---
**Author:** ![dragonlady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@dragonlady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragonlady)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/42 "2009-08-22T00:32:43Z")
Medical care for inmates in California has been a HUGE issue here for several years. The chronic overcrowding (most facilities are running at over 200%) has made adequate medical care almost impossible. Add in the states budget crisis and cutting hours for state employees and a 3 judge panel just ruled that 40,000 inmates have to be released because their housing and medical care is woefully inadequate. I’m sure they will appeal, but something massive is going to have to be done pretty soon. Its scary for anyone who has a family member incarcerated. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/43 "2009-08-22T01:47:13Z")
How common is deliberate self-injury, and is it hard to prevent? (Like cutting, or eating disorders?) Speaking of, any other [“bagel dog”-ish](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=273825) stories? (Probably for another thread, though) ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/44 "2009-08-22T02:52:29Z")
I would think that the quality of care would vary from state to state. I mean states like California and Texas with huge prison populations would have more trouble serving their clients. I would also assume federal and state prisons would be different somewhat. And what about the quality of care between high and low security prisons. Then you got to consider things like Drugs. I knew a warder at a downstate prison and he said \\ We don’t care too much, better to keep them space out and calm then thinking of ways to get into trouble." I like the bit about escaping from hospitals. I realize it’s a jail but when they bring people from Cook County Jail to Cook County Hospital they are bound with chains on their feet. The chains only go the length of a 12 inches or less so all the prisoner can do is shuffle slowly. He’s handcuffed behind his back and the handcuffs are attacked with a chain to the chain on his feet. If he’s going somewhere he’s not gonna get their fast 🙂 As for medical there comes a certain point you’re deemed in custody and the state or county or whatever is responsible for you. Before then you are on your own. I’ve heard of people in jails getting sent to hospital and being billed for it, because they aren’t officially in the care of the state. ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/45 "2009-08-22T04:08:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Mental health: 30% of our inmates have an Axis I diagnosis, and close to 10% are seriously mentally ill, being incredibly impaired functionally by their illness. 70% have a substance abuse history. That’s basicly what I thought…b/c of the war on drugs, there’d prolly be a VERY high rate of substance abuse in the prisoner population. Is there some overlap…like people who had a history of substance abuse with some post drug use psyosis? Do you think a lot of the mentally ill inmates would be better off in a mental insistution? What percentage of them would be better served in a mental insistuion for the criminally insane? Are there a lot of sociopaths in prison, compared to Axis I affected inmates? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/46 "2009-08-22T15:26:04Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > How common is deliberate self-injury, and is it hard to prevent? (Like cutting, or eating disorders?) > > Speaking of, any other [“bagel dog”-ish](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=273825) stories? (Probably for another thread, though) Self-injury is common, given the high percentage of mental illness in our population. Ah, bagel dog man! Yes, I’ve lots of stories, but I’ve chosen not to share them anymore, given the fact that someone always natters on about how I’m violating HIPAA regulations when I tell them (I’m not, but I don’t need the aggravation.) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/47 "2009-08-22T15:31:32Z")
> [@dragonlady](#): > > Medical care for inmates in California has been a HUGE issue here for several years. The chronic overcrowding (most facilities are running at over 200%) has made adequate medical care almost impossible. Add in the states budget crisis and cutting hours for state employees and a 3 judge panel just ruled that 40,000 inmates have to be released because their housing and medical care is woefully inadequate. I’m sure they will appeal, but something massive is going to have to be done pretty soon. Its scary for anyone who has a family member incarcerated. The rest of the nation’s correctional systems are watching Cali’s situation in fascination and horror, as we can see how we easily end up in their predicament. Hell, we’re sliding in that direction, some states faster than others. My boss has been fighting tooth and nail to prevent us from having such a medical care crisis here, and thanks to his efforts we’ve demonstrably improved the quality of care for our inmates during his tenure. And we’ve managed to hold medical cost inflation down below 4% annually, which is significantly lower than the private sector’s rate. But we keep getting more inmates, and our funds are now being cut, due to budget crises. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/48 "2009-08-22T15:36:53Z")
> [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](#): > > That’s basicly what I thought…b/c of the war on drugs, there’d prolly be a VERY high rate of substance abuse in the prisoner population. > Is there some overlap…like people who had a history of substance abuse with some post drug use psyosis? > Do you think a lot of the mentally ill inmates would be better off in a mental insistution? What percentage of them would be better served in a mental insistuion for the criminally insane? > Are there a lot of sociopaths in prison, compared to Axis I affected inmates? A lot of folks have gotten axis I diagnoses in the past, like schizophrenia and others when they’re really just under the influence or withdrawal. But a lot of addicts would prefer to be considered ‘crazy’ than be called an addict. Many folks were better off when there were public mental institutions. When we began shutting them down to ‘care for them in the community’ all we did is slowly start shunting them into the prison system instead. And prison is a very difficult place to be mentally ill, especially if you’re in a seg unit. Crazy behavior lands one in the segregation unit, and our seg units are disproportionally filled with the mentally ill. I’d estimate our psychopath (aka sociopath) population is between 15 and 20%. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/49 "2009-08-23T07:07:24Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Self-injury is common, given the high percentage of mental illness in our population. > > Ah, bagel dog man! Yes, I’ve lots of stories, but I’ve chosen not to share them anymore, given the fact that someone always natters on about how I’m violating HIPAA regulations when I tell them (I’m not, but I don’t need the aggravation.) I, for one, miss the various stories. I find them rather reassuring. Well, not reassuring that those people are out there, but reassuring in the sense that I feel more normal after reading them. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/50 "2009-08-23T09:19:35Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Since prisoners get free healthcare, I’ve always wondered if anyone uninsured has committed a crime specifically to get incarcerated and get treatment. Ever encounter that, Qadqop? Not a real life story, but an episode of The Unusuals revolved around this. The senior member of a family of criminals needs an expensive medical procedure so his progeny, including one son who previously had stayed away from crime and had a bright future, start robbing banks to get the money to pay for it. Eventually the DA works out a deal with him to let the ‘good’ son off if he turns him self in, plying him with the fact that as a prisoner he’ll get his medical procedure for free. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/51 "2009-08-23T16:02:09Z")
Is there any chance whatsoever that that could happen in real life? A prosecutor letting off one criminal so that another criminal could go to jail and get medical help? I find that hard to believe. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/52 "2009-08-24T09:46:39Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Is there any chance whatsoever that that could happen in real life? A prosecutor letting off one criminal so that another criminal could go to jail and get medical help? I find that hard to believe. DAs make all sorts of deals. While that sort of deal isn’t common, it is fairly common to give one criminal various degrees of leniency for giving info or testifying. In the case of that episode, he wasn’t letting the guy go to jail, he was making a deal where he would turn himself in in order to get his son leniency. The idea was that he could be convinced to turn himself in because he could get the medical help and get his son off, and in return not only would he go to jail, but he would call off his various family members from continuing on their crime spree. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/53 "2009-08-24T13:37:21Z")
O.K., you’re explaining the TV episode, but you’re not giving me an example from real life. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/54 "2009-08-24T15:23:37Z")
I’m a former prosecutor and have never heard of a plea agreement covering anything other than an agreed sentence, reduced prison time, a particular amount of restitution, cooperation with police in an ongoing investigation, or the dismissal of some charges. I’m not saying particular medical care has _never_ been an issue in a plea bargain, but I’d think it would be very, very rare, and certainly not IME. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072/55 "2009-08-24T20:50:55Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > O.K., you’re explaining the TV episode, but you’re not giving me an example from real life. I was clarifying what I thought was your misunderstanding about the episode. Also should point out that he was NOT being offered anything special in terms of medical help. They were just pointing out to him that if he went to jail, there’d be no reason for his family to need to find money for his procedure since jails already provide medical help anyway. I doubt it comes up that often in real life, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a defendant’s lawyer occasionally points out to a sick client that if he took a plea deal he’d not only get a lesser sentence but free health care for the duration. In my first post I did say I only have a fictional example. I did comment on real life though: “DAs [in real life] make all sorts of deals. While that sort of deal isn’t common, it is fairly common to give one criminal various degrees of leniency for giving info or testifying.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-healthcare-provision-do-us-prisoners-receive/507072.md?page=2)