The English Prison Health System After a Decade of Austerity, 2010-2020: The Failed Political Experiment

Austerity has had a detrimental impact on public services, particularly those affecting vulnerable groups. This book explores the effects of austerity on prison health governance and healthcare delivery in England, arguing that it has violated prisoners' human rights and led to high rates of recidivism, diminished welfare state, and increased inequality. It combines perspectives from criminology, public health, sociology, law, social policy, politics, and economics to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of austerity on health governance, prison healthcare, the prison workforce, and prisoners' health and safety.

Format: Hardback
Length: 204 pages
Publication date: 21 November 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Austerity has fundamentally altered the governance and provision of public services, resulting in detrimental consequences for society's most vulnerable groups. This comprehensive book delves into the closed world of English prisons, shedding light on its profound impact on prison health governance and healthcare delivery. It argues that austerity has been an ongoing, large-scale political experiment that has led to a staggering increase in debt, undermined the prison health system, and perpetuated a cycle of punishment, leading to sicker prisoners. In essence, austerity has violated the human rights of prisoners.

Through extensive interviews and data analysis from existing longitudinal and economic studies, the book vividly illustrates how austerity has contributed to soaring rates of recidivism, the erosion of the welfare state, and the exacerbation of inequality and punitiveness. Despite its decade-long failure, there exists a notable political reluctance to abandon austerity, resulting in the continuation of the same detrimental outcomes. As the specter of recession looms, exacerbated by events such as Brexit and COVID-19, the consequences of these failures become increasingly perilous.

This book brings together a diverse range of interdisciplinary perspectives, including criminology, public health, sociology, law, social policy, politics, and economics, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of austerity on health governance, prison healthcare, the prison workforce, and the health and safety of prisoners. It challenges prevailing policies, practices, and mindsets, and serves as a vital resource for anyone seeking to reflect on how the political and economic structure can shape the governance and delivery of healthcare services in marginalized settings, beyond prisons, and indeed beyond England.

Weight: 560g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032021959