Book Review: 30 years behind bars: Trials of a prison doctor

Abstract

Initially, Dr. Karen Gedney was assigned to serve as a physician in the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) through a National Health Corps program to provide medical care in underserved areas. She was taken hostage and assaulted by an inmate in the second year of her 4-year commitment. Instead of seeking reassignment, she elected to continue her work providing care for the men incarcerated in NDOC for 30 years. Dr. Gedney tells the story of her career in 30 Years Behind Bars: Trials of a Prison Doctor. The book is written in a memoir style and organized into 28 short chapters and an epilogue that include art created by inmates. The content covers a variety of topics related to her professional and personal experiences as a prison doctor. One of the overarching themes of the book is the influence of institutional leadership, agency policy, and law on inmate health. For example, Gedney describes a new warden wishing to “make his mark” on the institution by putting the prison on extended or repeated lockdowns (p. 335). These lockdowns eliminated yard time, which severely restricted the ability of inmates to exercise. In addition to impacting inmates’ moods, restricted exercise contributed to exacerbated symptoms associated with cardiovascular conditions and diabetes and resulted in increased medical costs. Gedney also examines the influence of laws on the aging inmate population and the changing health issues associated with an increase in this population.