Harm minimisation in Australian prisons — health protection still depends on where you serve your time

Levy, Michael H; Treloar, Carla

doi:10.5694/mja12.10228

Topics

Substance‐related disorders

Environment and public health

Sexual health

Social determinants of health

To the Editor: In June 2007 we highlighted the inconsistent application of community-accepted harm minimisation strategies, when offered to prisoners, among the various Australian jurisdictions.1

1 ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.
2 National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW.

Correspondence: michael.levy@act.gov.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. Levy MH, Treloar C, McDonald R, Booker N. Prisons, hepatitis C and harm minimisation. Med J Aust 2007; 186: 647-649.
2. Push for free tattoos at ACT jail. Canberra Times 2011; 26 Nov. http://www.canberratimes.com. au/news/local/news/general/push-for-free-tattoos-at-act-jail/2371566.aspx (accessed Jan 2012).
3. Ministerial Advisory Committee on AIDS, Sexual Health and Hepatitis; Hepatitis C Subcommittee. Hepatitis C prevention, treatment and care: guidelines for Australian custodial settings. Evidence base for the guidelines. Canberra: Department of Health and Ageing, 2008. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/9F632131D38B580CCA257505007C1A70/$File/prison-guidelines-evidence.pdf (accessed Jan 2012).
4. Australian Human Rights Commission. Commission welcomes steps towards better monitoring of places of detention. http://www.hreoc.gov.au/about/media/news/2012/18_12.html (accessed Aug 2012).

Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.