Introduction
The book review provided by Golembeski is based on Venters’ Life and Death in Rikers Island. The study raises essential themes of the peculiarities of the penitentiary system and its influence on the processes in society. The values of public administration often form the basis of the functioning of the institutions of government, and the study of this topic from various perspectives is relevant. The book review is a critical study that contributes to comprehending the role of correctional institutions in the health of society.
Discussion
As mentioned, the study was written by Cynthia Golembeski, but it is essential to focus more in-depth on the author’s personality. The competence and experience of the author make a considerable difference in the process of writing a book review. The author does not briefly describe the chapters; she adds unique assumptions and draws the audience’s attention to details, explaining their significance (Golembeski, 2020). Cynthia Golembeski is a researcher in health policy, and she uses mixed methods to analyze how policy, law, ethics, and governance operate at the intersection of the criminal and healthcare systems. The author’s competence and broad outlook can be inferred from this, which can contribute to the audience’s understanding of how social protection can be related to health. The study was written in 2019 at Rutgers University Newark, one of the three regional campuses of Rutgers University of New Jersey (Golembeski, 2020). Criminal justice is one of the university’s most prominent programs, and choosing the penitentiary system as a study area is logical and reasonable.
There were several reasons for writing this book review, all of which are equally important. Firstly, it should be mentioned that the author wanted to critically evaluate the topics raised in the book and thereby confirm their significance. Moreover, Golembeski aimed to raise crucial issues of social equality, justice, and health care in the context of the correctional system. Equally important was the desire to express the author’s point of view and to prove that public administration has constantly recreated one of the most critical roles in shaping incarceration policy (Golembeski, 2020). It should be emphasized that the study is about Rikers Prison, but it is merely an example, and issues are described without territorial boundaries. Protecting prisoners’ rights and the medical services available is a global problem. Even though Rikers’ is the main focus of the study, the author comments on the situation throughout the country and beyond, broadening the readership and making the review relevant to people from all corners of the world.
A book review is a widespread form of writing that allows people to express their subjective opinions about what they have read. Several dozens of book reviews were issued before and during the writing of the study. However, it should be noted that most of these publications are amateurish, aiming only to evaluate the author’s opinion, while Golembeski’s research is distinct. The reason for the large number of publications is, first of all, the topic’s relevance because the problem of the penitentiary system has been on the agenda for several decades.
Moreover, in the book, Venter revealed all the prison details, which cannot be seen on the Internet. Indeed the book is fascinating and evokes emotions, encouraging every reader to write a review. However, Golembeski’s analysis is primarily academic; it stands out for its professionalism and not for its primary purpose of expressing an opinion. On the contrary, the author focuses on the importance of the topic and the deepening of knowledge about it, thus making the review stand out significantly from others (Golembeski, 2020). The specific nature of the review does not require experimentation, and funding sources were not necessary.
The study is built on Homer Ventersa’s observations about Rikers Island. The book provides numerous details about the inmates’ lives and the specifics of their attitudes toward the illness they experience (Sue, 2022). At the time the study was written, it was already known about what prisoners’ problems were most prevalent, but Golembeski adds to this by describing the role of government and the operation of prisons, which had not been described in detail before.
The importance of studying the medical care of prisoners in prisons is confirmed by the growing number of deaths in the prison environment due to illness and the poor quality of medical care. The incidence of disease in prisons is higher than in the general population. Thus, HIV infection, asthma, hypertension, hepatitis, and oncology are more prevalent in institutions. Health care in prisons is part of the health care system because prisons are part of society (Sue, 2022). One out of every three inmates is released annually, and contact between the prison system and the community is very intense. The insularity of the penitentiary institution poses unique challenges to the work of wellness for those carrying the burden of ill health. Still, it likewise offers good opportunities for reducing inequalities regarding the chances of maintaining health since wellness concerns mainly the socially excluded marginalized group.
Conclusion
Thus, Golembski’s book review is a relevant and global study. It raises prominent themes and expands the audience’s knowledge of the prison system and prisoner health. Although Golebski is not the only author reviewing the book, her experience and commentary make the study unique, informative, and engaging. Moreover, the topic of correctional facilities remains pertinent, and Golembeski’s study allows everyone to understand this topic’s importance and realize what Homer Venters’ main message was.
References
Golembeski, C. A. (2020). Life and death in Rikers Island. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2019. Web.
Sue, K. L. (2022). Violence at Rikers Island: Does the doctor make it worse? A clinician ethnographer’s work amidst carceral structural violence. Culture, medicine, and psychiatry, 1-20. Web.