NCJ Number
246813
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 31 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2014 Pages: 588-608
Date Published
June 2014
Length
21 pages
Annotation
In this study, the authors investigate the relationship between the availability of health care organizations HCOs and their changes over time with neighborhood level recidivism, and how these relationships may be moderated by neighborhood disadvantage.
Abstract
Incarceration has been identified as a cause of poor health in current and formerly incarcerated individuals. Given the high likelihood of being in poor health when exiting prison, it is plausible that health impacts recidivism. Furthermore, ex-prisoners cluster in disadvantaged neighborhoods that are unlikely to have decent health services. Currently, there is insufficient research to examine this relationship at an ecological level. In this study, the authors investigate the relationship between the availability of health care organizations HCOs and their changes over time with neighborhood level recidivism, and how these relationships may be moderated by neighborhood disadvantage. The authors determined that the effect of HCOs on recidivism is indeed moderated through disadvantage: as disadvantage increases, the negative effect of losing significant amounts of HCOs on recidivism accelerates. The results suggest that while increasing HCOs in disadvantaged neighborhoods is important, keeping HCOs in place is equally important for moderating negative neighborhood level outcomes. Abstract published by arrangement with Taylor and Francis.