Human rights and correctional health policy: a view from Europe
Abstract
Purpose
Correctional healthcare should promote the protection of human rights. The purpose of this paper is to bring a discussion of human rights into debates on how such policy should be best organized.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper achieves its aim by providing an analysis of European prison law and policy in the area of prison health, through assessing decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, as well as policies created by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture.
Findings
The paper describes the position of the European Court of Human Rights on the topics of access to healthcare, ill health and release from prison, mental illness in prison, and the duty to provide rehabilitative programming for those seeking to reduce their level of “risk.” It also argues that human rights law can be a source of practical reform, and that legal frameworks have much to offer healthcare leaders seeking to uphold the dignity of those in their care.
Originality/value
This paper will provide a rare example of the engagement of human rights law with correctional health policy. It provides practical recommendations arising out of an analysis of European human rights law in the area of prisons.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author is grateful to the reviewers for their helpful comments. All errors and omissions remain my own.
Citation
Rogan, M. (2017), "Human rights and correctional health policy: a view from Europe", International Journal of Prisoner Health, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 3-9. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-08-2016-0049
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited