OBSERVATION AND TREATMENT EXPERIMENTS IN THE SALUZZO PENAL ESTABLISHMENT - ITALY

• NCJ Number: 43888
• Journal: Rassegna di Studi Penitenziari Volume: 26 Issue: 3-4 Dated: (MAY-AUGUST 1976) Pages: 383-391
• Author(s): G ORTOLEVA
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: Ministero di Grazia E Giustizia
• Publication Format: Article
• Country: Italy

Annotation

SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDED TO INMATES OF THE SALUZZO, ITALY, PRISON ARE DESCRIBED; THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO COUNTERACT THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE PRISON ATMOSPHERE ON THE INDIVIDUAL.

Abstract

THE ORGANIZATION OF A FORM OF PENITENTIARY SOCIAL SERVICE WAS BEGUN IN 1966 TO ALLEVIATE THE INFLUENCE OF PRISON ON PERSONALITY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BALANCE. PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED DOCTORS, LAWYERS, EDUCATORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND PRIESTS. A SERIES OF SESSIONS IN GROUP DYNAMICS, COMBINED WITH CASE-WORK AND ROUND TABLES WITHIN THE INSTITUTION AND WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF QUALIFIED EXPERTS, PROVIDED IDEAS FOR EVENTUAL UNDERTAKINGS TO IMPROVE THE PRISON SETTING AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR INMATES TO EXPRESS AND COMPARE THEIR OWN OPINIONS. BY-PRODUCTS INCLUDED SUCH RECREATIONAL AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES AS FILM CLUBS, MEETINGS WITH THEATRICAL COMPANIES AND STUDENT GROUPS, AND LECTURES ON SOCIAL THEMES. PRACTICAL ASPECTS RELATIVE TO REINTRODUCTION OF THE INMATE INTO SOCIETY WERE TREATED IN COURSES WHICH PREPARED INMATES FOR THE 'LICENZA MEDIA' DIPLOMA AND FOR PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION (AS ELECTRICIANS AND WELDERS). AFTER 10 YEARS OF RESEARCH, STUDIES, AND EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMS, A PROFESSIONAL TEAM WAS FORMED TO CARRY ON THE WORK BEGUN ON THE VOLUNTEER LEVEL; ITS MEMBERS ARE A PERMANENT STAFF SOCIAL WORKER, A TEMPORARILY APPOINTED PSYCHOLOGIST, AND A TEMPORARILY APPOINTED NEUROPSYCHIATRIST. UNIFORMITY OF PURPOSE AND LACK OF PRECONCEIVED THEORETICAL METHODOLOGIES ARE STRESSED TO FACILITATE INTRODUCTION OF THE TEAM INTO THE PRISON AND TO ASSURE ITS EFFECTIVENESS AS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION. THE VARIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL-SOCIAL UNDERTAKINGS FALL INTO TWO DISTINCT CATEGORIES: OBSERVATION (DIAGNOSTIC ASPECT) AND TREATMENT (THERAPEUTIC ASPECT). THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL INMATE, THE PENAL INSTITUTION, AND SOCIETY IN GENERAL MUST BE ADDRESSED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE MOST COMPLETE RESOCIALIZATION POSSIBLE. --IN ITALIAN.