Topic: PHCA8504

Student name: Thi Thu Nga Tran

Student No: 2091452

Journal of reading week 8: Incarceration and the Judicial System as Determinants

Incarceration is a topic in social determinats of Indigenous health. A significant increase of Indigenous prisoners each year has led to low Indigenous health outcomes. There are many social factors such as poverty, unemployment, low levels of education that accompany with incarceration. These factors can result in high crime and level of imprisonment. Krieg (2006, p.534-536) notes that young people is much higher risk of incarceration than other groups. Statistics show 25% of all young Aboriginal men involving correction every year. They went to prison due to different reasons like homicide, illictit drugs, robbery and extortion, unlawful, and sexual assault. In addition, health and social priorities for Aboriginal people which are affected by incarceration are identified including housing, family, mental health, and social and emotional well-being. Krieg (2006, p.534-536) also states that health and human services play vital role for reducing excessive incarceration rate of Aboriginal people. To improve incarceration, it not only requires collaboration of primary health care, social health and justice perspectives but also creates opportunities for Aboriginal prisoners to intergrate into the communities with positive lives. Therefore, health considerations need to be integrated with the criminal justice system in strategies of community development. References: Krieg, A. 2006, Aboriginal Incarceration: Health and Social Impacts, MJA,184: pp. 534 536