NCJ Number
48365
Date Published
1977
Length
0 pages
Annotation
VARIOUS EXAMPLES OF EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES AS THEY APPEAR IN PRISON INMATES ARE PRESENTED IN THIS FILM. INTENDED FOR USE IN TRAINING PRISON WORKERS AND OFFICERS
Abstract
MANY INMATES SHOW SIGNS OF SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE WHICH MAY GO UNDETECTED BECAUSE MANY PRISON GUARDS DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOMS. BEING AWARE OF POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WILL ALLOW THE GUARD TO RELATE TO THE PRISONERS MUCH BETTER. EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED PEOPLE USUALLY INDICATE THROUGH THEIR ACTIONS THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG, AND THE PRISON GUARD MUST LEARN TO RECOGNIZE THIS BEHAVIOR BEFORE MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS DEVELOP. GUARDS ARE INSTRUCTED TO WATCH FOR ANYTHING UNUSUAL, FOR EXAMPLE, A PRISONER WHO IS PRAYING ALL THE TIME, TALKING TO HIMSELF, ACTING PARANOID OR NERVOUS, OR LYING. MANY INMATES ARE IN A GENERAL STATE OF DEPRESSION BECAUSE OF THEIR INCARCERATION BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE ABLE TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES MENTAL PROBLEMS BECOME PHYSICAL PROBLEMS. AN INMATE MAY BE SUFFERING FROM A PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL ILLNESS; I.E., HE IS NOT PHYSICALLY ILL, BUT HIS MIND THINKS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. PRISON REGULATIONS REQUIRE OFFICERS TO REPORT TO THE WARDEN OR PRISON PSYCHIATRIST WHEN THEY NOTICE THAT AN INMATE HAS A PROBLEM. IN SOME CASES, HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE NO EXTERNAL INDICATIONS OF INMATE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE INMATE MAY ATTEMPT SUICIDE OR ATTACK ANOTHER INMATE OR GUARD. EMOTIONAL DISORDERS AMONG INMATES SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED TO HELP AVOID SOME OF THESE UNNECESSARY SUICIDES OR DEATHS. (BAC)