Researchers from the University of Glasgow are set to play a crucial role in a groundbreaking £1 million study examining the impact of Scotland's justice system on public health.

The project, led by the University of Strathclyde and funded by the Scottish Government's Chief Scientist Office, aims to identify ways to improve health outcomes in disadvantaged communities across Scotland.

Scotland’s average life expectancy has been in decline for the past three years. While COVID-19 has been one factor, other prominent causes include drug-related deaths. The country had 1197 suspected drug-related deaths in 2023 and the rate, which includes deaths which occur in prison, is one of the highest in western Europe.

The study will investigate how health, crime, criminalisation, and victimisation intersect, with a particular focus on marginalised communities that are disproportionately affected by these issues.

It will also investigate how policy commitments to ‘public health policing’ are put into practice and experienced and will identify promising options for improving health in these communities.

Working alongside people who live and work in the communities most affected, including those who have had contact with the justice system, the researchers will combine existing evidence with new research to help develop potential approaches for health improvement.

The University of Glasgow researchers will contribute their expertise in several key areas of the study, including examining the intersection of health inequalities and justice system contact; exploring the potential of digital solutions for healthcare in prisons; asessing the impact of high crime rates on community health; and focusing on health outcomes for individuals transitioning out of the prison system.

Professor Alistair Fraser, a co-investigator on the project, said: “I’m proud to be part of the team delivering this programme of work. For too long health and justice have operated on different axes, with negative outcomes for communities. With colleagues at Strathclyde, the Scottish Community Development Centre, and communities themselves we hope to carve out a path toward change from the bottom-up.”

Professor Ellen Stewart, another co-investigator from the University of Glasgow, added: “This programme of research has been designed as a collaboration between criminologists, public health researchers and social scientists. I’m hugely excited to bring my health research experience and work with experienced prisons researcher, Dr Katrina Morrison, on a work package investigating the future of healthcare in Scottish prisons.”

Professor Nasar Meer, also a co-investigator from the University of Glasgow, said: “Evidence on the differential vulnerabilities amongst Scotland’s Black and minority ethnic communities is key to gauging their experiences of the criminal justice system, and I’m delighted to be working with colleagues to contribute this goal.”

The research programme will involve extensive collaboration with various public and community-based organisations, including Public Health Scotland, Police Scotland, the Scottish Prison Service, and the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit. This partnership approach aims to ensure that the research findings can be effectively translated into real-world improvements in health and justice outcomes.

The University of Glasgow's involvement in this project further cements its position as a leader in interdisciplinary research addressing critical societal issues. The findings from this study are expected to have far-reaching implications for public health and justice policy in Scotland and beyond.

First published: 7 August 2024

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