Publications

Why people living and working in detention facilities should be included in national COVID-19 vaccination plans: advocacy brief (2021)

WHO COVID-19 prison surveillance protocol: monitoring and reporting COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention (2021)

Preparedness, prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention: interim guidance, 8 February 2021

Preparedness, prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention, 15 March 2020 (produced by WHO/Europe)

Factsheet - Vulnerable populations during COVID-19 response - Children and adolescents deprived of liberty (June 2020)

Children and adolescents deprived of liberty in the context of the COVID-19 response in the WHO European Region

Factsheet - Vulnerable populations during COVID-19 response - Drug users (June 2020)

Contains key principles that underpin actions to address COVID-19 among people who use drugs (PWUD)

Organizational models of prison health: considerations for better governance (2020)

This policy brief describes the governance and organizational models for prison health adopted by three European countries – Finland, Portugal and England.

Fact sheet - Information for people in prison (produced by WHO/Europe)

The risk of transmission of COVID-19 within prisons or other places of detention is likely to amplify the epidemic and swiftly increase the number of people affected.

Fact sheet - Health in Prisons (2020)

The aim of WHO Health In Prisons is to improve the health of the 11 million people in prison globally (1.5 million in Europe)

Fact sheet - Information for visitors (produced by WHO/Europe)

The risk of transmission of COVID-19 within prisons or other places of detention is likely to amplify the epidemic and swiftly increase the number of people affected.

Frequently asked questions about prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention (produced by WHO/Europe)

Checklist to evaluate preparedness, prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention (2020)

This checklist is intended for use by policy-makers and prison administrators to evaluate their level of preparedness to prevent and control COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention.

Status report on prison health in the WHO European Region (2019)

This report presents an analysis of data collected on the health status of people in prison and prison health systems for 39 countries in the WHO European Region.

Health in prisons: fact sheets for 38 European countries (2019)

The purpose of the fact sheets is to present a snapshot of what is currently known about prison health-care systems and services across the European Region.

6th Prison Health Conference Prison health systems: the interface with wider national health systems (2019)

Efforts to improve public health and reduce health inequalities at the population level should be inclusive of prisons.

Evaluation of opioid substitution therapy in Kyrgyzstan (2016)

This evaluation explored how the country had implemented the recommendations from the earlier evaluation in 2008. The WHO mission developed further recommendations on the sustainability of OST, how to increase its accessibility, and improve its quality in the civil and penitentiary sectors.

Good practices in the prevention and care of tuberculosis and drug-resistant tuberculosis in correctional facilities (2018)

The Global End TB Strategy envisages specific measures to be taken by WHO Member States globally to tackle the problem and address the challenge. The WHO Regional Office for Europe has developed the TB Action Plan for 2016–2020 to achieve the milestones and objectives set by the Global End TB Strategy.

Food systems in correctional settings. A literature review and case study

This report summarizes existing research on food systems in correctional settings and provides examples of food programmes in prison and remand facilities, including a case study of food-related innovation in the Danish correctional system.

Preventing overdose deaths in the criminal-justice system. Reprint 2014

This report updates the information contained in Prevention of acute drug-related mortality in prison populations during the immediate post-release period (2010), identifying the main areas that need to be improved to reduce the risk of death.

Prisons and health

This book outlines important suggestions by international experts to improve the health of people in prison and to reduce the risks posed by imprisonment to both health and society.

Good governance for prison health in the 21st century. A policy brief on the organization of prison health

Against the background of concern about ministerial responsibility for the health of prisoners in Europe, members of the WHO European Network on Prison and Health asked WHO/Europe to issue a document on the governance of prison health.

Alcohol problems in the criminal justice system: an opportunity for intervention

Alcohol is linked with crime, especially violent crime. Many people are incarcerated because of alcohol-related crime. This publication describes an integrated model of care for alcohol problems in prisoners, with elements for best practice.

Women’s health in prison: Action guidance and checklists to review current policies and practices

The checklists in this document are an important tool in ensuring greater safety and better quality medical care for women in prison, and are designed to assist a review of current policies and practices relating to women’s health in prisons.

The Madrid Recommendation: Health protection in prisons as an essential part of public health

Health protection in prisons as an essential part of public health. The document is available in four languages: English, French, German and Russian.

Trencin statement on prisons and mental health

The delegates present at the joint World Health Organization/Slovakia International Meeting on Prison Health and Public Health, held in Trencín, Slovakia on 18 October 2007, took as the basis of their discussions the fundamental international standards relating to the need for the provision of health care to those with mental health problems in prison.

Health in prisons. A WHO guide to the essentials in prison health

Based on the experience of many countries in the WHO European Region and the advice of experts, this guide outlines some of the steps prison systems should take to reduce the public health risks from compulsory detention in often unhealthy situations, to care for prisoners in need and to promote the health of prisoners and prison staff. This requires that everyone working in prisons understand how imprisonment affects health, what prisoners' health needs are and how evidence-based health services can be provided for everyone needing treatment, care and prevention in prison.