In these sessions the inmates are kept in chains and separated by jail cells in an open room, as opposed to a patient friendly atmosphere the psychiatric hospitals are able to provide. If the inmates in these prisons begin to display any disciplinary problems, they more often than not sent to segregation in a secluded part of the facility. Such alienation can be very detrimental in the continued treatment of their mental disorders. It is often the case where the mentally ill patients become so violent and a continued history of misconduct, to the point where the prison can no longer handle them; they will be transferred to the prison’s psychiatric hospital extension. It is in these facilities where the inmates are treated much more as patients rather than prisoners as was the case in the prisons.
From self-reported data of sixty-eight prison officers drawn from a medium security committal prison for male offenders, findings of the present study indicate that according to several objective indicators, prison officers experience considerable stress on the job. Furthermore, the study revealed even though there are some concerns, such as safety, that might be more salient for prison officers than other professions, it is the broader organisation rather than the unique attributes of the job that exerted the greater influence on the level and sources of stress among prison officers in the present study. Significant predictors of stress reported by respondents included issues with management, safety concerns, work overload, compulsory overtime, work-family conflict and lack of proper facilities. Furthermore, based on the results it was suggested that reactions by prison officers to different stressors were found not only
Many factors contribute to the psychological problems that are experienced post-prison. Institutions change a person through humiliation and distress – even solitary confinement is still widely used (Bonta, et al. 349). In many cases the authority figures take advantage of their power, no further demonstration is needed than that provided by the Stanford Prison Experiment. Even leaving abuse of power aside, the principal discomfort of prison is crowding, an issue serious enough to now cause reforms in prisoners’ sentencing, and interventions in court (Bonta, et al.
A prison houses many varieties of classes of people or populations. These populations react differently than the other. Each of these populations poses a different problem for correctional administrators. Lack of funds and people caring for inmates are only two of the many problems. Among these populations HIV/AIDS, Female, and Gang populations offer unique challenges in the prison system.
I personally believe that American prisons can be quite harsh when it comes down to how the prisoners are treated. A lot of factors come in to play when you look at the conditions of our prison systems. Such factors are population, cleanliness, the rules of the prison, and most importantly the severity of the punishments. The first thing I am going to discuss is the population. Ever since the populations of prisons have gradually increased over 2 million inmates, many prisons are becoming overcrowded.
This model is based on the recognition not all offenders are the same, and only a few deserve the most intensive and expensive sanction -- prison -- and almost all offenders sent to prison eventually return to their communities. There are well documented societal issues that impact the prison population and crime rate. These factors include poverty, a lack of education or employment opportunities, drug or alcohol use and abuse, racial disparity, exposure to others involved in criminal activity, and mental
One in every 100 adults in the United States is incarcerated according to the PCS. The Pew Center on the States (PCS) conducts credible research and analyzes states’ experiences to determine what works and what does not work. Overcrowding has been a problem in the United States for many years. The government has tried different ways to fix it, but it has steadily gotten worse. Overcrowding has become a major issue in the United States mainly because nonviolent drug addicted offenders are repeating behaviors and ending up in jail.
Pregnancy imposes physical demands that are made worse by the physical conditions of incarceration, and studies of pregnancy outcome among women prisoners have shown high prenatal mortality and morbidity. Documented problems include high rates of fetal and neonatal death, intrauterine growth retardation, preterm labor and delivery, and conditions requiring admission to a neonatal intensive care. It does not appear that infant birth-weights differ significantly among incarcerated and non incarcerated women and seems to be positively influenced by length of time in prison. In addition, infants of inmates who deliver in prison are typically separated from their mother following delivery and placed in relative or foster care until completion of the mother's sentence. This situation interferes with bond of attachment between mother and child and can lead to serious developmental consequences for the child, as well as psychological stress for the
Also, incarcerated persons might not want treatment because they don’t recognize that they have an illness or they have lost touch with reality all together. When and if the offender experiences a psychotic break, they are taken to a facility so that a doctor can prescribe medication, they can also be forced to take the medication by court order. One expert contends that “we have created a revolving door in which mentally ill cycle from clinics, to homelessness, to jail”. The offenders in California, Texas, Arizona, Maryland, and Oregon, all go through a screening process. They do questionnaire, and or observation through an interview that is done by jail employees or a nurse.
Today’s prison systems have proven to be a collection of diverse individuals, some brilliant, some talented and some possessing sets of skills uncommon to even the most successful of free individuals. It is with such a diverse prison culture that rehabilitation has evolved into a much different element of American incarceration. With the presence of corrections based education, vocation, and work programs, prisoners are treated as individuals with potential, optimistic futures and most importantly, individuals who still have Eighth Amendment rights. It can be said that to be incarcerated in prison with no outlets to develop or improve intelligence, acquire skills, and reach ones potential is in a way “cruel and unusual punishment”. With the possibility to pursue education within prison walls, prisoners are provided the opportunity to develop personally as well as intellectually.