Vulnerable Population Paper
Vulnerable Population Paper
Community settings are comprised of different types of populations. Some communities may be comprised of a population of middle-aged individuals, retirees, or single families. No matter where one lives there are also vulnerable population integrated throughout. Vulnerable population is defined as persons with diminished autonomy, those who are compromised in their ability to give informed consent. Groups often identified as vulnerable include children, homeless individuals, fetuses, the mentally handicapped, prisoners, and the economically or educationally disadvantaged. Vulnerability, however, may also characterize students, employees, patients in emergency rooms, and institutionalized persons. Vulnerability depends on context or circumstances. (Porter, 1996). A vulnerable population who one may not consider is prisoners. This paper will focus on the prison population, the description of prisoners, health and social problems, and community and nursing interventions. Ethical implications and current strategies to break the cycle of vulnerability will also be addressed. A Prisoner is defined as any individual involuntarily confined or detained in a penal institution. The term is intended to encompass individuals sentenced to such an institution under criminal or civil statutes. Individuals detained in other facilities by virtue of statutes or commitment procedures, which provide alternatives to criminal prosecution or incarceration in a penal institution. Also, includes individual’s detained pending arraignment, trial, or sentencing (University of Florida, 2007). The residential nature of the detention is critical for example, someone ordered to a residential substance abuse treatment program as an alternative to prison would be considered a prisoner, but those ordered to a similar treatment program but residing in the community would not be considered a prisoner. Understanding who may classify as a prisoner and a vulnerable population
Community settings are comprised of different types of populations. Some communities may be comprised of a population of middle-aged individuals, retirees, or single families. No matter where one lives there are also vulnerable population integrated throughout. Vulnerable population is defined as persons with diminished autonomy, those who are compromised in their ability to give informed consent. Groups often identified as vulnerable include children, homeless individuals, fetuses, the mentally handicapped, prisoners, and the economically or educationally disadvantaged. Vulnerability, however, may also characterize students, employees, patients in emergency rooms, and institutionalized persons. Vulnerability depends on context or circumstances. (Porter, 1996). A vulnerable population who one may not consider is prisoners. This paper will focus on the prison population, the description of prisoners, health and social problems, and community and nursing interventions. Ethical implications and current strategies to break the cycle of vulnerability will also be addressed. A Prisoner is defined as any individual involuntarily confined or detained in a penal institution. The term is intended to encompass individuals sentenced to such an institution under criminal or civil statutes. Individuals detained in other facilities by virtue of statutes or commitment procedures, which provide alternatives to criminal prosecution or incarceration in a penal institution. Also, includes individual’s detained pending arraignment, trial, or sentencing (University of Florida, 2007). The residential nature of the detention is critical for example, someone ordered to a residential substance abuse treatment program as an alternative to prison would be considered a prisoner, but those ordered to a similar treatment program but residing in the community would not be considered a prisoner. Understanding who may classify as a prisoner and a vulnerable population
References: Cabinet Office Strategy Unit (2004). Cutting alcohol related crime. Retrieved October 21, 2007, from http//www.alcoholconcern.org Porter, J. (1996, August 30). Protecting vulnerable populations. Retrieved October 21, 2007, from http//www.er.doe.gov/production The Children Defense Fund (2006). Cradle to prison pipeline initiative. Retrieved October 21, 2007, from http//www.childrendefense.org The Council of State Governments (n.d.). Recent and projected growth of the Arizona prison population. Retrieved October 21, 2007, from http//www.justicecenter.csg.org U.S. Department of Justice (2006, December 14). Mental health problems of prison and jail inmates. Retrieved October 21, 2007, from http//www.ojp/usdoj.gov U.S. Department of Justice. (2005, June 27). Prison and jail inmates at midyear 2006. Retrieved October 21, 2007, from http//www.ojp.usdoj.gov University of Florida. (2007, May 09). Special population: Prisoners. Retrieved October 21, 2007, from http//www.irb.ufl.edu/prisoner.html