Article Figures & Data
Tables
Statement(italic = assesses subjective attitude) Reverse Scored Item Mean ATP Score Preintervention (SD) Mean ATP Score Postintervention (SD) Student’s t Test p Value Crime is on the rise in Canada ✓ 2.93 (0.83) 3.23 (0.96) 2.541 0.012a The prison system functions as it should toward inmates ✓ 3.71 (0.88) 3.99 (0.71) 2.666 0.008b Canada punishes crimes too severely — 2.74 (0.71) 2.98 (0.76) 2.536 0.012a People in jail or prison have adequate access to mental and physical health care ✓ 3.89 (0.97) 4.16 (0.92) 2.169 0.031a I know about the mental and physical health needs of incarcerated individuals — 2.32 (0.97) 3.62 (0.70) 11.61 < 0.001c I would feel comfortable treating someone in jail or recently released from jail — 2.81 (1.08) 3.56 (0.84) 5.844 < 0.001c Canada punishes crimes too mildly ✓ 3.24 (0.70) 3.51 (0.59) 3.166 0.002b Incarcerated individuals are more likely to have had several ACEs than the general population — 4.48 (0.63) 4.84 (0.39) 5.191 < 0.001c The primary purpose of the criminal justice system is to punish people who break the law ✓ 3.03 (1.00) 2.93 (1.05) −0.721 0.472 People leaving custody have adequate access to physical and mental health care ✓ 3.96 (0.70) 4.13 (0.78) 1.769 0.078 The primary purpose of the criminal justice system is to rehabilitate people who break the law — 3.23 (1.10) 3.19 (1.18) −0.283 0.778 People leaving custody have adequate access to housing, food, and financial support ✓ 4.04 (0.70) 4.14 (0.71) 1.120 0.264 Incarcerated individuals are likely to have more communicable diseases (HIV, Hep C, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections) than the general population — 4.15 (0.60) 4.24 (0.64) 1.010 0.313 Educational attainment (highest level of school completed) is lower in incarcerated individuals than in the general population — 4.19 (0.64) 4.28 (0.67) 1.062 0.289 Incarcerated individuals are more likely to have been exposed to violence, substance use, and neglect as children — 4.34 (0.64) 4.63 (0.50) 3.843 < 0.001c Incarcerated individuals are more likely to have active substance use problems than the general population — 4.21 (0.59) 4.42 (0.59) 2.811 0.005b Incarcerated women are more likely to have had multiple unwanted pregnancies and therapeutic abortions than the general population — 3.79 (0.75) 4.01 (0.70) 2.313 0.022a Incarcerated individuals have asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other respiratory diseases at a higher rate than the general population — 3.60 (0.78) 3.93 (0.73) 3.351 < 0.001c Incarcerated individuals are more likely to have been homeless before coming in to custody than the general population — 3.98 (0.73) 4.22 (0.74) 2.491 0.013a First Nations, Metis, and Inuit persons are over-represented in correctional populations in Canada — 4.15 (0.81) 4.40 (0.64) 2.568 0.011a Total Understanding Subscore (max 65) 51.71 (5.70) 54.63 (5.36) 4.059 < 0.001c Total Subjective Attitude Subscore (max 35) 21.08 (3.43) 23.78 (2.60) 6.706 < 0.001c Total Score (max 100) 72.78 (7.10) 78.42 (6.51) 6.290 < 0.001c ACEs = adverse childhood experiences; ATP = Attitudes Toward Prisoners Scale; Hep C = hepatitis C; HIV = human immunodeficiency virus; SD = standard deviation
a p < 0.05
b p < 0.01
c p < 0.001
Themes Subthemes Better understanding of the correctional system and the incarcerated population Barriers to care and limited resources within the system Unique needs of inmates, including mental health Prevalence of ACEs and traumatic experiences within the prison system Increased humanization of incarcerated individuals Increased comfort and interest in treating inmates Greater sense of compassion and empathy toward inmates ACEs = adverse childhood experiences
Themes Subthemes Improved access to background information prior to session Providing patient background to read up on cases before session More readings and resources on topic to be sent out before session Increased interactivity and participation of students Allowing students to lead or aid in conducting the patient interview More or longer sessions Opportunity to attend an in-person interview at the correctional facility
