Changing Directions
The Intersection of Public Health and Criminal Justice
Mass incarceration is one of the major public health challenges facing the United States, as the millions of people cycling through the courts, jails, and prisons every year experience far higher rates of chronic health problems, substance use, and mental illness than the general population.
In this interview, David Cloud, Senior Program Associate for Vera's Substance Use and Mental Health Program, unpacks the public health implications of mass incarceration and the need to connect the criminal justice and health care systems.
The Intersection of Public Health and Criminal Justice
Creating a Recovery-Informed Framework for Integrated Mental Health and Criminal Justice Responses
The number of people diagnosed with serious mental illness in the U.S. criminal justice system has reached unprecedented levels. Increasingly, people recognize that the justice system is no substitute for a well-functioning community mental health system. Although a range of targeted interventions have emerged over the past two decades, existing ap ...
Finding employment after incarceration was already hard, but bias in AI hiring tools is making the job search more difficult. Policymakers must act now to prevent further harm.
For people leaving prison, finding a job is one of the strongest predictors of a successful return to community life. Research suggests formerly incarcerated employees can be a real asset in the workplace: a peer-reviewed 2018 study of entry-level hires found that employees with conviction histories stayed in their jobs longer and voluntarily quit ...