Home

Climate Change Project

Table of Contents

Courses

Search
<< >> Up Title Contents

THE PRISON DOCTOR

Over the last 30 years, the role of prison physicians has changed dramatically. Being the doctor for the county jail used to be a relatively easy job. The position was frequently filled by a physician who had retired from private practice. Prisoners were viewed as having little right to medical care, and there was not much concern about its quality. Even incompetent physicians were usually immune from suits for medical malpractice.

Prisons are now highly regulated. (This chapter will use prison as a generic term for all correctional and detention facilities.) State and federal court cases, combined with legislation, set minimum standards for prisons and jails. The first effect of these standards was to end most medical experiments on prisoners. (See Chapter 14.) In addition, the standards ensure that inmates receive adequate medical care and create a federal cause of action against physicians and others involved in improperly run prison medical programs. Despite these regulations, prison conditions are deteriorating in many parts of the country. Prisons are overcrowded, and inmates are increasingly HIV infected secondary to the drug abuse that may have led to their incarceration.

<< >> Up Title Contents

Law and the Physician Homepage
Copyright 1993 - NOT UPDATED

The Climate Change and Public Health Law Site
The Best on the WWW Since 1995!
Copyright as to non-public domain materials
See DR-KATE.COM for home hurricane and disaster preparation
See WWW.EPR-ART.COM for photography of southern Louisiana and Hurricane Katrina
Professor Edward P. Richards, III, JD, MPH - Webmaster

Provide Website Feedback - https://www.lsu.edu/feedback
Privacy Statement - https://www.lsu.edu/privacy
Accessibility Statement - https://www.lsu.edu/accessibility