Prison Reform and Public Health

Stella DeSantis, the senior director of investments at Oppenheimer & Co., manages more than $50 million in assets. Stella DeSantis also stands out for her advocacy for prison reform and her interest in both practical and human rights issues surrounding criminal punishment.

Public health is often overlooked in the discussion of prison reform, even though prisons have both internal and external factors rendering them public health issues. For example, because many incarcerated individuals are from economically depressed areas with less access to health services, they are more likely to bring an existing health condition into prison. The environment of prison itself does little to remedy this, as nutrition, sanitation, fresh air, and exercise are often lacking to varying degrees in a prison environment.

Prison environments can also further encourage the spread of disease due to overcrowding. Common illnesses contracted by prisoners include HIV, skin conditions, and some forms of hepatitis, while some diseases, such as tuberculosis, can be up to 100 times as prevalent inside a prison as outside. Prison staff are subject to these conditions as well. This in turn allows illnesses cultivated in prisons to be brought into society. For these reasons, many prison-reform advocates urge that comprehensive prison reform requires a serious look at prison as a public health problem.

The Wharton School Hosts Global Forums in Cities Worldwide

An experienced investment professional, Stella DeSantis serves as a senior director at Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Prior to launching her career, Stella DeSantis earned a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. She stays connected to her alma mater by participating in reunions and other alumni activities.

With a network of more than 96,000 alumni in 153 countries, The Wharton School oversees a variety of programs and events to help former students connect with the school and each other. In addition to hosting social activities, Wharton invites alumni to take part in various learning events, including the Wharton Global Forum. 

Since it first launched the program in 1993, Wharton has held 50 Global Forums in cities around the world. The forums bring business leaders together with members of the Wharton community for social and educational programming that features speeches, discussions, and experiential learning activities focused on the business environment and culture of the host city. 

In June 2017, Wharton hosted its 50th Global Forum in Hong Kong. A number of notable speakers took part in the event, including journalist and author Tom Friedman. The school is now preparing for its 51st Global Forum, which will take place March 7-9, 2018, in Sydney, Australia. Wharton’s 52nd Global Forum will be held June 13-15, 2018, in New York City.