Black Men Safer in Prison than Out-“Ironically, prisons are often the only provider of medical care"

Black Men Safer in Prison than Out

Statistically-speaking, a black man is better off behind bars if he wants to live longer, according to a new study out of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

After examining the health records of African-Americans inside and outside of prison, researchers concluded that black inmates are half as likely to die at any given time if they are incarcerated than if they aren’t.

Why? For starters, prisons do a better job of shielding black men from exposure to alcohol and drugs. Also, they’re more likely to receive better health care within prison walls than outside of them. Death rates for diabetes, suicide and murder were also lower.

“Ironically, prisons are often the only provider of medical care accessible by these underserved and vulnerable Americans,” Hung-En Sung of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York told Reuters. “Typically, prison-based care is more comprehensive than what inmates have received prior to their admission.”

http://www.allgov.com/Controversies/ViewNews/Black_Men_Safer_in_Prison_than_Out_110801