The 21st Century Cures Act Implications for the Reduction of Racial Health Disparities in the US Criminal Justice System: a Public Health Approach.
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities
; 5(4): 885-893, 2018 08.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29124683
ABSTRACT
Past drug epidemics have disproportionately criminalized drug addiction among African Americans, leading to disparate health outcomes, increased rates of HIV/AIDS, and mass incarceration. Conversely, the current opioid addiction crisis in the USA focuses primarily on white communities and is being addressed as a public health problem. The 21st Century Cures Act has the potential to reduce racial health disparities in the criminal justice system through the Act's public health approach to addiction and mental health issues. The 21st Century Cures Act is a progressive step in the right direction; however, given the historical context of segregation and the criminalization of drug addiction among African Americans, the goals of health equity are at risk of being compromised. This paper discusses the implications of this landmark legislation and its potential to decrease racial health disparities, highlighting the importance of ensuring that access to treatment and alternatives to incarceration must include communities of color. In this paper, the authors explain the key components of the 21st Century Cures Act that are specific to criminal justice reform, including a key objective, which is treatment over incarceration. We suggest that without proper attention to how, and where, funding mechanisms are distributed, the 21st Century Cures Act has the potential to increase racial health disparities rather than alleviate them.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Contexto em Saúde:
11_ODS3_cobertura_universal
/
1_ASSA2030
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2_ODS3
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Prisioneiros
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Saúde Mental
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Saúde Pública
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Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Substâncias
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Disparidades em Assistência à Saúde
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Racismo
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Transtornos Mentais
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Limite:
Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities
Ano de publicação:
2018
Tipo de documento:
Article