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Bridging the Gap Between Health and Justice

This article "aims to demonstrate how public health issues are inherent in numerous aspects of the criminal justice system. Then it will offer a conceptual framework for applying many of the fundamental principles of public health to the realm of criminal justice-whether specifically to those who are incarcerated or otherwise under supervision of the justice system or, more broadly, to a broader range of social ills" (p. 1). Sections of this report cover: the nexus of health and justice; sentencing and health concerns; intake and screening; rehabilitation, reentry, and reintegration-health impediments; discharge planning and continuum of care; a public health approach to criminal justice; health concerns beyond incarceration; the epidemiological model; and the cycle of infection.