RUNNING HEAD: ARTICLE REVIEW Temple 1
Article Review
Elijah Temple
CJUS 300- B03
Prof. Tatiana
12 February 2018
ARTICLE REVIEW Temple
Abstract
“Managing the Health of Prisoners”, written by Alex Gatherer, is an article regarding the
problems of managing inmates’ health. The author uses third party research to help support his
claim that providing healthcare to prisoners is not an easy thing to do, regardless of the
geography. The ethical dilemma of this article is the fact that prisons do not get their choice of
which prisoners to take and which to not. Regardless of an inmate’s sanity, severity of crime, or
behavioral issues, prisons are not granted permission by the government to pick and choose
inmates that are easy to take care of healthcare wise.
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ARTICLE REVIEW Temple
Overview
Alex Gatherer, author of “Managing the Health of Prisoners”, makes a claim that
managing the health of prisoners is a tall task. His reasons for why managing to keep prisoners
healthy are as follows: Poor prison environments, inmates who come from poverty stricken
backgrounds that have not been given health and social needs, and the fact that most justice
systems around the world are centered on sure justice rather than any health needs an inmate
may need. Gatherer goes on to argue that the justice systems around the world need to focus
more on providing quality health care to inmates.
Ethical Issue
The ethical issue in the article is human rights. When a person is sentenced to prison,
they lose their man-made rights, but should they lose their human rights as well? In this case an
inmate’s human rights would be to able to take care of one’s self when it comes to hygiene and
health related issues. Although prisoners are allowed access to the prison doctor(s), there is
limited immediate care as there is typically only one or two doctors available. At the conclusion
of the article however, Gatherer offers a potential solution to this ethical issue. Gatherers
chooses a side to the ethical issue when he says, “To build a healthier society we need to move
beyond focusing on quality of care for individuals towards the genuine support of human rights
and enthusiasm for social justice, both of which underpin the delivery of quality care” (Gatherer,
2). I believe that Gatherer’s proposed solution to end health related issues in prisons can be
effective in the near future. By building a healthier society, in the prison network, focusing on
the quality of life of inmates will lower the amount of disease and any other type of health
related hazards.
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ARTICLE REVIEW Temple
Biblical Perspective
From a Biblical point of view, human rights are a gift from God. In Genesis 1:27, God tells us
that man was created in His own image, and if this is true, then treating all men equal and in the
image of God is essential to following His commands. Inmates are men too, even though they are
sent to prison. Acts 10:34 says, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism.”
Yes, God does not show favoritism towards people, including inmates. Prison systems around
the world need to treat inmates how Christ would, equal to other people outside cell walls.
Charity’s around the world are willing to help out people with health needs, or people who are
poverty stricken and unable to pay for medical needs, but when an inmate needs medical
attention, correctional offices and doctors often times disregard their health needs and treat them
as less of a person.
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