The following is a summary of a story that originally appeared on the School of Medicine website.
As an Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences and DUPRI Scholar, Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein's work examines how the conditions of incarceration — from extreme isolation in solitary confinement to flooded cells during climate disasters — creates deep and long-lasting harm to people’s physical and mental health.
Brinkley-Rubinstein’s research is driven by a central question: What happens to people’s health when they endure the traumatic conditions of jail and prison, and how long do those effects persist? One of her major studies in North Carolina found that nearly one-in-four people incarcerated spent at least two weeks in solitary confinement, and those who did were more than twice as likely to die while in custody compared with those who were not isolated.
Her evidence-based work has influenced national conversations about criminal justice, including citations in Supreme Court amicus briefs and state-level reform efforts. Ultimately, Brinkley-Rubinstein argues that the most effective way to reduce incarceration’s harms is to prevent incarceration itself — by addressing social and public health issues with community-based support rather than punishment.
To read more, go to the School of Medicine website.