NCJ Number
60155
Date Published
1979
Length
10 pages
Annotation
INMATE VIOLENCE AND PRISON CONDITIONS TENDING TO DETERIORATE INMATE MENTAL HEALTH ARE DISCUSSED, AND STEPS FOR IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
STUDIES SHOW THAT THE RATE OF VIOLENCE IN PRISONS IS SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN THE VIOLENCE RATE IN FREE SOCIETY. ALTHOUGH THIS HIGH RATE OF PRISON VIOLENCE MAY BE DUE PARTLY TO THE SELECTIVE CONCENTRATION OF PERSONS PRONE TO VIOLENCE, THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT ANXIETY STIMULATED BY THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT BECOMES TRANSFORMED INTO HOSTILE ACTION AS PART OF A LESSENING OF EMOTIONAL CONTROLS AND THE ACQUISITION OF ANTISOCIAL VALUES AND BEHAVIORS. OVERCROWDING AND LACK OF PRIVACY OCCUR IN PRISON SETTINGS AND APPEAR TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR CHANGES IN INMATES. HIGH NOISE LEVELS IN PRISONS ARE ALSO RELATED TO ANXIETY, CAUSING NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR. PROLONGED IDLENESS, A FREQUENT CONDITION OF PRISON LIFE, LEAVES INMATES WITHOUT ANY PRODUCTS TO REPRESENT THEIR VALUE, RESULTING IN A DETERIORATION IN SELF-CONCEPT, RESTLESSNESS, AND IMPAIRED PERSONAL FUNCTIONING. SUBJECTIVE PERCEPTIONS OF EVENTS IN PRISON ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO INMATE REACTIVE BEHAVIOR. PERCEPTIONS OF MISTRUST, HOSTILITY, AND SUPERIORITY ON THE PART OF CORRECTIONAL STAFF IN INTERACTION WITH INMATES CAN GREATLY AFFECT INMATE BEHAVIOR. A SURVEY OF INMATES SHOWED A DOMINANT DESIRE FOR PROGRAMS OF SELF-IMPROVEMENT AND THE COMPANIONSHIP OF INMATES WHO CAN BE TRUSTED. IN THE DETRIMENTAL ENVIRONMENT OF PRISON, CASE HISTORIES OF THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT TEND TO IDENTIFY INMATES WHO ARE VERBALLY FLUENT, ARE ADEPT AT RELATIONSHIPS, AND ARE ABOVE AVERAGE IN INTELLIGENCE. INMATE CLASS ACTION SUITS HAVE DONE MUCH TO INFLUENCE COURTS TO SET STANDARDS FOR CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL NURTURE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF INMATES RATHER THAN PLUNGE THEM FURTHER INTO PATTERNS OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.