How does prison affect life expectancy?

A 2016 study from Professor Christopher Wildeman found that the sheer magnitude of mass incarceration in the United States has shortened the overall U.S. life expectancy by 2 years, and that each year in prison reduces an individual’s life expectancy by about 2 years.

Does prison reduce life expectancy?

Each year in prison takes 2 years off an individual’s life expectancy. With over 2.3 million people locked up, mass incarceration has shortened the overall U.S. life expectancy by almost 2 years.

Is food in prison healthy?

Prison food is high on refined carbohydrates, sodium and sugar and low on nutrients — diets the rest of us have been told to avoid. With most states spending $3 or less per person a day for meals, penitentiaries have become hidden food deserts, paralleling the neighborhoods from which many inmates have come.

What is the relationship between prison food and health?

The most problematic correlations between prison food and health include: Weight: The most obvious link between food services and health is weight. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that three quarters of people incarcerated in state and federal prisons are overweight or obese.

Can sustainable food programs bring better nutrition to inmates?

Prisons and other organizations around the world are creating and implementing sustainable food programs to bring better nutrition to incarcerated people. Many inmates do not receive proper nutrition, with some facilities rationing meals on less than US$1.20 per day.

How much food do prisoners get a day?

Many inmates do not receive proper nutrition, with some facilities rationing meals on less than US$1.20 per day. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that food “not only affects physical and mental health,” but is also key to an inmate’s successful rehabilitation and resettlement upon release.

How can the United States reduce its prison population?

Without reducing poverty—and more specifically, income inequality—as well as racial bias and rolling back harsh sentences for certain crimes, the United States will not meaningfully reduce its prison population. There are currently an estimated 2.2 million people incarcerated in the United States. [1]