A growing and changing prison population has renewed interest in the effects of incarceration on the health of prisoners in many countries.
Prisoners comprise a number of vulnerable population groups with complex and often co-morbid health needs. Although prison is sometimes a setting for health improvement, the environment is in many ways a severe risk to the prisoner and to his or her family.
This review of international and local literature on the health effects of imprisonment describes the terms of the international debate, outlines the evidence on physical and mental impacts on prisoners and on their families, highlights gaps in knowledge and suggests areas for further investigation in New Zealand.