Infectious diseases, substance use disorders, and psychiatric conditions are more prevalent in prisons than in the general population. There is relatively limited evidence regarding the medical management of non communicable diseases in prison settings. The clinical cases described in this article highlight specific dimensions to be considered when practicing medicine in detention settings : multidisciplinary work ; regular voluntary screening for infectious diseases that are prevalent in this population ; management of non communicable diseases ; availability of medical protocols for specific clinical situations (for example, body-packing) ; or proactive screening for mental health disorders.