International journal of prison health最新文献

{"title":"An opportunity to 'be someone else': the perceptions and experiences of male and female peer support workers in two US state prisons.","authors":"Warren Stewart, Stephanie Grace Prost, Meghan Novisky, Adrian J Archuleta, Seana Golder","doi":"10.1108/IJOPH-08-2025-0062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPH-08-2025-0062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>In response to the increasing numbers of older, frail and dying persons in Western prisons and associated healthcare costs, awareness of the need of high-quality peer care in correctional facilities is growing. This paper aims to describe perceptions and experiences of male and female peer caregivers in two US prisons regarding their roles.</p><p><strong>Design/methodology/approach: </strong>Data were collected via focus groups with peer caregivers (n = 15) incarcerated in two US state prisons and examined using thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Three themes were identified: \"motivation and benefits\", \"challenges and costs\" and \"learning\" associated with caregiving. The findings point to differences between male and female caregivers' motivation to perform the roles. While male peer caregivers in the sample appeared to be motivated by issues related to identity, masculinity and religious beliefs, female peer caregivers cited the value of meaningful relationships. However, there were several similarities between male and female's daily experiences and learning needs, and both groups enjoyed intrinsic and extrinsic rewards associated with their roles.</p><p><strong>Originality/value: </strong>To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper to conjointly describe male and female peer caregiver views and experiences of caring for older persons or persons with life-limiting illness. Findings underscore the need for more research aimed at making explicit the varying benefits of peer caregiving behind bars, as well as policies ensuring increased training for peer caregivers and correctional staff.</p>","PeriodicalId":519936,"journal":{"name":"International journal of prison health","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148665389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Managing acute bromazolam intoxication in a custodial setting: a prison health case study.","authors":"Kelly Taylor, Sally Amor","doi":"10.1108/IJOPH-02-2026-0012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPH-02-2026-0012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Synthetic benzodiazepines pose significant health risks, especially within prison settings where substance use, multi-morbidity and constrained healthcare environments intersect. As the illicit drug market continues to evolve, prisons face increasing challenges in responding to changing patterns of use. This paper aims to present a case study of a bromazolam-related drug incident in a Scottish prison to identify operational learnings that can support future approaches to meeting the health needs of those within prison settings.</p><p><strong>Design/methodology/approach: </strong>The authors conducted a descriptive observational case study as part of a public health response and wider service evaluation to a drug-related outbreak. Approval for the analysis and inclusion of routinely collected clinical and incident data was granted by the Caldicott Guardian. Information was extracted using a standardised data collection template. The authors incorporated qualitative insights from stakeholder reflections to understand operational challenges and perceived drivers of the outbreak.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Thirty prison residents were affected, four requiring hospitalisation and three of these requiring intensive care admission. While the clinical response was timely and prevented any fatalities, the incident exposed vulnerabilities in operational preparedness, communication pathways and incident coordination.</p><p><strong>Practical implications: </strong>This case highlights the need for strengthened preparedness for illicit substance outbreaks, particularly benzodiazepines, in prisons. This includes development and awareness of clear major incident protocols, workforce resilience planning and integrated harm-reduction approaches.</p><p><strong>Originality/value: </strong>This paper provides practice-based insight into the management of an emerging synthetic benzodiazepine incident within a prison setting, offering practice-based learning that may support preparedness and multi-agency responses to similar incidents in prison settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":519936,"journal":{"name":"International journal of prison health","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148521441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From practitioner advisory board to change: translating advisory insight into practical wellness initiatives.","authors":"Frank Ferdik, Hayden P Smith, Rebecca L Fix","doi":"10.1108/IJOPH-02-2026-0013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPH-02-2026-0013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aims to examine how practitioner advisory boards (PABs) can translate frontline correctional expertise into practical, pilotable wellness initiatives for correctional officers (COs).</p><p><strong>Design/methodology/approach: </strong>PABs consisting of ten corrections professionals from Tennessee jails and South Carolina prisons were convened to identify barriers to officer wellness and develop feasible intervention strategies. PAB sessions were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>PAB members identified barriers involving stigma, trust, confidentiality, leadership support and access. These insights produced three pilotable initiatives: a statewide wellness survey for Tennessee jail officers, a postcritical-incident seminar for South Carolina prison officers and a servant leadership program for Tennessee county jails.</p><p><strong>Research limitations/implications: </strong>Findings derive from a small, purposively selected advisory board and reflect practitioner perspectives rather than causal estimates of intervention effectiveness. Results are context-bound to participating jurisdictions. Future research should replicate PAB processes across additional correctional systems and quantitatively evaluate whether PAB-derived enablement conditions predict sustained wellness engagement and improved workforce health outcomes.</p><p><strong>Practical implications: </strong>Findings show that PABs can convert frontline insight into actionable and measurable wellness strategies that better align with correctional work conditions.</p><p><strong>Social implications: </strong>Improving CO wellness has implications for institutional safety, workforce stability and the broader health of custodial environments. Embedding practitioner voices into wellness design may reduce stigma, increase trust and promote sustainable engagement with supports, benefiting both staff wellbeing and correctional system functioning.</p><p><strong>Originality/value: </strong>The study demonstrates the value of PABs as a participatory mechanism for developing CO wellness initiatives grounded in operational realities.</p>","PeriodicalId":519936,"journal":{"name":"International journal of prison health","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148400443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Partnership working in sport-based interventions within custodial settings: politics, vulnerability and negotiation.","authors":"Marie-Lou Libbrecht, Haydn Morgan","doi":"10.1108/IJOPH-03-2026-0027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPH-03-2026-0027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Drawing from a study conducted in three Belgian prisons, this study aims to investigate multi-agency partnerships as a means to deliver sport-based interventions in prison which are designed to support prisoner health. Specifically, this study explores the complexity of the relationships between three groups of actors specific to these partnerships - internal justice actors, external delivery organisations and a separate organisation that was responsible for coordinating sports and cultural activities in each prison.</p><p><strong>Design/methodology/approach: </strong>Adopting a qualitative approach, a total of 29 semi-structured interviews were conducted with various partnership stakeholders from the three groups of actors; 19 with internal justice actors, 7 with external organisations that were responsible for the delivery of the sport interventions and 3 with staff from the coordinating organisation.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Sport-based interventions in custodial contexts are not delivered in a neutral space, but one that is laden with political complexity and ingrained with misaligned aims and competing priorities. Partnerships unfold within a differentiated ecology of actors who are influenced by distinct institutional logics and moral orientations, where the behavioural regulation of prisoners is often prioritised over efforts to support prisoner health.</p><p><strong>Originality/value: </strong>While studies have examined partnership operations within community-based interventions which use sport to address criminal justice outcomes, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to investigate such partnerships within a custodial setting. Despite the widespread use of partnership approaches as a policy function, findings suggest that multi-agency collaboration in prison settings is shaped less by formal frameworks and more by relational dependency, asymmetrical power relations and moral negotiation.</p>","PeriodicalId":519936,"journal":{"name":"International journal of prison health","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148341668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sexual and physical safety: perceptions of incarcerated women.","authors":"Margaret E Shippen, Nicholas C Derzis, Sharon M Weaver, Angela L Hall, Christine L Fleming","doi":"10.1108/IJOPH-08-2025-0069","DOIUrl":"10.1108/IJOPH-08-2025-0069","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of this study was to collect, track and analyze data from the inmates perspective to ensure that sexual abuse and harassment was being adequately prevented, detected and responded to appropriately and within a reasonable time frame.</p><p><strong>Design/methodology/approach: </strong>Using the Prison Rape Elimination Act Survey Instrument, inmates were selected using a convenience sampling method to complete the survey. Once an inmate completed the survey during the year, she was taken off the polling roster not to be surveyed again within that year.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The perceptions of the female inmates indicated that sexual harassment and sexual abuse at this facility have decreased. However, despite increased staff training and education, inmate perceptions were that verbal abuse continues to occur between staff and inmates as well as between inmates.</p><p><strong>Research limitations/implications: </strong>Department of Corrections (DOC) was required to collect data on PREA and inmate safety for the first time, thus there is no comparison data prior to implementing improvements. A weakness of Likert-type scale is that participants may avoid extreme response categories, which could lead to a central tendency bias. In addition, participants may respond to statements using the option \"neither agree nor disagree\" to please prison personnel, which could lead to an acquiescence bias in their responses.</p><p><strong>Practical implications: </strong>Zero-tolerance becomes operational, not just policy immediate safety actions after an allegation gender-responsive searches and cross-gender supervision intake screening that actually drives housing and work assignments staff hiring, training and boundaries specialized investigations and evidence handling.</p><p><strong>Social implications: </strong>Legitimacy and trust in the institution reporting behavior - both up and down culture change and staff-resident relations protection for vulnerable groups health and mental-health access.</p><p><strong>Originality/value: </strong>This study was a result of a US Department of Justice settlement with a state DOC which included polling the female inmates on their physical and sexual safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":519936,"journal":{"name":"International journal of prison health","volume":" ","pages":"254-268"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146215416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and determinants of selected modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular diseases among male prisoners of Karachi.","authors":"Azeem Jamil, Shiraz Shaikh, Muhammad Ovais","doi":"10.1108/IJOPH-07-2025-0052","DOIUrl":"10.1108/IJOPH-07-2025-0052","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aims to determine the prevalence of selected modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among male prisoners in Karachi.</p><p><strong>Design/methodology/approach: </strong>This cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of 400 male prisoners aged between 30 and 60 years at Central Jail Karachi in December 2024. Information on risk factors of CVDs was obtained using a modified World Health Organization (WHO) STEPS questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Logistic regression was performed to identify determinants of CVD risk factors, including smoking status, disturbed sleep and raised blood pressure, overweight and obesity.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Almost all participants had no moderate to vigorous physical activity (97.5%), no fruit intake (93.0%) and vegetable intake of less than three times per week (91.0%). Around one-third had raised blood pressure (38.5%), were current smokers (35.5%) and were overweight or obese (32.8%). Older age showed positive association with raised blood pressure. Education was positively associated with smoking and being overweight/obese. With reference to prisoners who had spent one to five years in jail, those who had spent six years or more were significantly less likely to have disturbed sleep.</p><p><strong>Research limitations/implications: </strong>The study reveals a high prevalence of risk factors of CVDs among prisoners, making them highly vulnerable to encounter cardiovascular events. The findings emphasize the urgent need for prison reforms, including improving access to healthy food choices, reducing access to tobacco products and engaging prisoners in physical activity, offering intermittent screening and provision of treatment support when required.</p><p><strong>Practical implications: </strong>The findings emphasize the critical need to introduce reforms in jails which include improving access to healthy food choices, reducing access to tobacco products, engaging prisoners in physical activity, offering intermittent screening and provision of treatment support if required.</p><p><strong>Social implications: </strong>The findings will help to improve healthy lifestyles in prisons in a developing country setting.</p><p><strong>Originality/value: </strong>The study presents the prevalence of modifiable risk factors in the biggest prison of Karachi which addresses an important public health gap focusing on the underprivileged and overlooked population of society. Use of a validated tool enhances reliability and validity to the findings of the research.</p>","PeriodicalId":519936,"journal":{"name":"International journal of prison health","volume":" ","pages":"198-207"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145484456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Health risk behaviors: prevention priorities among Portuguese incarcerated males.","authors":"Tânia Brandão, Andreia de Castro Rodrigues, Telma Sousa Almeida, Miguel Basto-Pereira","doi":"10.1108/IJOPH-07-2025-0051","DOIUrl":"10.1108/IJOPH-07-2025-0051","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Incarcerated people have been identified as a vulnerable population prone to health risk behaviors (HRBs). This study aims to compare a set of HRBs in Portuguese incarcerated males with a community-matched control group and explore the influence of social-emotional competences and self-control on these behaviors. The authors expect that incarcerated males would present more HRBs in comparison to the community sample.</p><p><strong>Design/methodology/approach: </strong>The study included 573 participants (312 incarcerated males and 251 males from the community).</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Incarcerated males exhibited higher rates of HRBs, including early sexual initiation, smoking, early drug initiation, drug use, self-harm, suicide attempts and violent conduct. Self-control emerged as a mediator between social-emotional competences and HRBs.</p><p><strong>Originality/value: </strong>These findings have significant implications for preventive policies and public health initiatives, shedding light on health risk dynamics within this vulnerable population. Urgent interventions are needed to address incarcerated males' health and well-being, with a specific focus on enhancing self-control for risk reduction.</p>","PeriodicalId":519936,"journal":{"name":"International journal of prison health","volume":" ","pages":"231-242"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147517999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of a vitamin D supplementation initiative in an NHS prison health care service during the COVID-19 pandemic.","authors":"Aikaterini Dima, Iain McKinnon, Daniel Whiting, John Tully","doi":"10.1108/IJOPH-06-2025-0045","DOIUrl":"10.1108/IJOPH-06-2025-0045","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Vitamin D deficiency is a global concern, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, including prisoners. Vitamin D was found to be protective against Covid-19 during the pandemic. As a response, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust implemented a vitamin D supplementation policy across three prison health-care settings in the UK. The purpose of this study was to assess the overall impact of this policy on supplementation rates and Vitamin D deficiency.</p><p><strong>Design/methodology/approach: </strong>This pragmatic cross-sectional study retrospectively evaluated the impact of the vitamin D supplementation policy on supplementation uptake and deficiency rates. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as less than 50 nmol/L. Cross-sectional data were collected from 768 prisoners for periods of two years before and two years after introduction of the policy.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Overall supplementation rates were lower after the policy introduction (43%, n = 330 versus 35%, n = 270; McNemar's χ2, p = 0.004). However, there was increased uptake among previously untreated individuals - 40% (n = 175) of those previously untreated (n = 438) received supplementation after policy implementation. There was an overall reduction in vitamin D deficiency from 71% to 55% after policy introduction (χ2 = 12.3, Cramer's V = 0.13, p < 0.001). Mean vitamin D levels increased from 41.3 nmol/L to 50.3 nmol/L. In a small subsample (n = 23) in whom vitamin D levels were available before and after the policy, paired sample analysis showed significant mean vitamin D level increase (p < 0.001). An exploratory analysis using binary logistic regression suggested the specific prison location and pre-existing vitamin D deficiency as significant predictors of deficiency post-policy.</p><p><strong>Originality/value: </strong>The findings highlight the potential effectiveness of a simple, population-wide supplementation strategy in reducing vitamin D deficiency within prisons. Future research should use prospective designs and explore factors influencing supplementation adherence and long-term health outcomes, toward developing the most effective strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":519936,"journal":{"name":"International journal of prison health","volume":" ","pages":"221-230"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146000460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reimagining rehabilitation: addressing basic needs and substance use in prison environments for the common good.","authors":"Tyesia Williams, Leanne Howell, Nicholas Werse","doi":"10.1108/IJOPH-06-2025-0048","DOIUrl":"10.1108/IJOPH-06-2025-0048","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of this study is to reinforce the importance of rehabilitation, which is considered to be one of the key elements in the correctional environment that deters crime and reduces the rates of recidivism. Although rehabilitation efforts, such as substance use treatment, have benefits, the condition of the prison environment, specifically the lack of basic needs, can thwart the efforts of the rehabilitative process. This study builds upon previous research to propose institutional adjustments to the incarceration environment to better support rehabilitation.</p><p><strong>Design/methodology/approach: </strong>This study builds upon the implications of a previously conducted qualitative case study that used semi-structured individual interviews, a focus group and site observations at a Louisiana facility to explore five incarcerated individuals' access to the five basic needs and uncover barriers to self-actualization while in substance use treatment programs. The findings were leveraged to determine best practices for creating an environment more conducive to rehabilitation and treatment.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>This study argues for three actionable changes to the Department of Corrections system that can support rehabilitation efforts more effectively: improvements in meeting one of humanity's most essential needs - adequate and nutritious food, initiatives to improve incarcerated individuals' sense of safety and enhanced correctional officer training.</p><p><strong>Originality/value: </strong>The environment in which substance use treatment is administered has the potential to be beneficial or detrimental to the rehabilitative process. Providing correctional institutions with the knowledge necessary to confront hindrances to successful treatment has the potential to change the trajectory of rehabilitative efforts and recidivism.</p>","PeriodicalId":519936,"journal":{"name":"International journal of prison health","volume":" ","pages":"243-253"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145350973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Training needs of juvenile justice operators working with young muslims in Italy: a Sicilian case study.","authors":"Maria Garro, Gaetano Di Napoli, Giacomo Scattarreggia, Stefano Ruggieri","doi":"10.1108/IJOPH-04-2025-0031","DOIUrl":"10.1108/IJOPH-04-2025-0031","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Purpose: &lt;/strong&gt;The main aim of the study is to identify the training needs of juvenile justice professionals working with Muslim minors and young people. The Italian juvenile justice system faces numerous challenges in protecting the well-being of young people of Islamic faith under its care. These individuals, often subjected to psychological violence due to the double stigma of being both immigrants and Muslims, may experience low levels of well-being. Combined with the psychological stress of arrest and detention, this can increase their vulnerability. In the absence of adequate protective factors, these conditions may facilitate a path toward criminal careers, from which disengagement is particularly difficult.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Design/methodology/approach: &lt;/strong&gt;An online questionnaire was administered to 74 helping professionals (50% response rate) operating in custodial and non-custodial facilities of the Juvenile Justice Center of Sicily Region (Italy), who work with young people and young adults of Islamic faith.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Findings: &lt;/strong&gt;Nearly half of operators (45.9%) self-reported poor or sufficient multicultural competences. The most critical training needs identified were intercultural communication (73%), psychological support (68%) and intercultural approaches (68%). Language barriers and ethnic prejudice emerged as the primary challenges for young Muslims (76% each), followed by cultural identity issues (57%). Operators reported limited access to cultural mediators (mentioned by 75.5% as a barrier) and insufficient collaboration with local Islamic associations. Only 20.3% of respondents indicated adequate institutional provisions for religious practices (halal food, prayer spaces and spiritual care).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Research limitations/implications: &lt;/strong&gt;The study's findings were not nationally representative. Juvenile justice in Italy varies significantly between regions due to differences in available resources and the specific characteristics of migration flows. However, Sicily hosts four of Italy's 17 juvenile detention facilities and serves as a primary entry point for migration flows from Africa. Furthermore, while sharing fundamental principles with other European countries, the Italian system has distinctive features that make international comparisons challenging.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Practical implications: &lt;/strong&gt;Based on the findings, the Universities of Padua, Verona, Bari and Palermo, together with the Department of Juvenile and Community Justice, signed a letter of intent in February 2025 to define collaboration modalities and initiate an operational agreement. Such initiatives can serve as protective factors for young Muslims' well-being, fostering individualized interventions and integrated support.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Originality/value: &lt;/strong&gt;This contribution provides a snapshot of the training needs of practitioners working with Muslim young people. At present, there are no other similar studie","PeriodicalId":519936,"journal":{"name":"International journal of prison health","volume":" ","pages":"286-302"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146151780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}