HEALTH ASPECTS OF AVOIDABLE MALTREATMENT OF PRISONERS AND DETAINEES

• NCJ Number: 64953
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 35 pages
• Corporate Author: World Health Organization
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United Nations
• Note: FIFTH UNITED NATIONS CONGRESS ON THE PREVENTION OF CRIME AND THE TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS, TORONTO, CANADA, SEPTEMBER 1-12, 1975

Annotation

SUBMITTED TO THE FIFTH UNITED NATIONS CONGRESS ON THE PREVENTION OF CRIME AND TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS, THIS PAPER LAYS DOWN A CODE OF MEDICAL ETHICS FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS AND DETAINEES.

Abstract

DEVELOPED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO), THIS CODE OF ETHICS RESPRESENTS AN APPROACH TO RULES FOR PERSONAL CONDUCT GOVERNING THE PROFESSIONAL RELATIONS OF PHYSICIANS WITH THEIR INMATE PATIENTS OR WITH EACH OTHER. IT COVERS GENERAL HEALTH ETHICS, HEALTH PROFESSIONS IN RELATION TO PRISONERS AND DETAINEES, EVOLVING ATTITUDES TOWARD TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS, FORMS OF MALTREATMENT, TREATMENT OF MENTALLY DISORDERED AND DRUG-DEPENDENT OFFENDERS, FORCIBLE FEEDING, AND PROVISIONAL STANDARDS REGARDING THE MINIMUM RULES FOR PRISONER TREATMENT. ALSO DEALT WITH ARE RESTRAINT METHODS (MECHANICAL, CHEMICAL, ELECTROCONVULSION, PSYCHOSURGERY, CASTRATION), PUNISHMENT FOR DISCIPLINARY OFFENSES, INTENSIVE INTERROGATION METHODS, AND BIOMEDICAL EXPERIMENTS ON PRISONERS. OVERALL, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S POSITION ON PRISONER TREATMENT EMPHASIZES RIGHT TO TREATMENT AND TO HEALTH SUCH AS IS AVAILABLE TO PRIVATE CITIZENS, AVOIDANCE OF HAZARDS TO PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, ESTABLISHMENT OF PSYCHIATRIC WINGS IN INSTITUTIONS TO SERVE PRISONERS WITH MILD MENTAL DISORDERS (MORE SEVERE CASES ARE PRESUMABLY TREATED IN HOSPITALS), RECOGNITION OF DRUG DEPENDENCY AS A PATHOLOGICAL CONDITION, AND TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT PRISONER SUICIDE. THE PAPER OUTLINES ACCEPTABLE MODES FOR PUNISHMENT BY RESTRICTED DIET, SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, AND SUSPENSION OF PRIVILEGES, BUT IT REJECTS CORPORAL PUNISHMENT. FOR ALL AREAS COVERED, THE PAPER DISCUSSES THE EXTENT OF WHO INVOLVEMENT IN RELEVANT ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND WORLDWIDE ATTITUDES REGARDING THE VARIOUS AREAS OF OFFENDER TREATMENT. APPENDED ARE THE TOKYO DRAFT DECLARATION OF THE WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION'S GUIDELINES FOR MEDICAL DOCTORS, THE DECLARATION OF GENEVA AND HELSINKI OF THE WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, AND AN EXTRACT FROM A STATEMENT BY THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL AND ADDICTIONS MADE IN MAY 1975.