This paper first presents an overview of the changing characteristics of the reentry population and its demographics. Second, it presents national estimates of the prevalence of certain chronic medical conditions, infectious diseases, mental illness, and substance abuse and dependency within the state prison and soon-to-be-released populations. Third, it discusses comorbidity and the limitations in our ability to determine what medical conditions among released offenders may have been preexisting. Fourth, it considers some key treatment and ethical dilemmas that improved screening raises for the correctional health and public health systems, and examines some emerging challenges.
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