The Collision of Inmate and Patient: End-of-Life Issues in French Prisons

Every year in France 100 inmates die in prison from illness, but their experiences with end of life (EOL) have not been investigated to date. The purpose of this article is to highlight the realities regarding inmates at the end of life, putting into perspective the viewpoints of the sick prisoners with those of the health and correctional professionals accompanying them. Based on qualitative research, the challenge is to identify potential barriers to palliative care for inmates in order to consider possible improvements. The study results reveal that EOL inmates were not fully considered as patients and did not benefit from a comprehensive palliative care approach. For most dying inmates, and according to many health professionals, compassionate release on medical grounds remains the best approach to deal with EOL issues.