EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM INCARCERATION AND A PROPOSED STRATEGY FOR FUTURE RESEARCH

• NCJ Number: 56885
• Author(s): H B MCKAY; C H S JAYEWARDENE; P B REEDIE
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 125 pages
• Contract Number(s): 62-6/5-156
• Sponsoring Agency: Canada Solicitor General
• Sale Source: Canada Solicitor General
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

LITERATURE PERTAINING TO PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH PROLONGED INCARCERATION WAS REVIEWED, AND FINDINGS WERE ANALYZED TO FORMULATE A RESEARCH STRATEGY FOR FURTHER STUDY.

Abstract

INITIAL OBSERVATIONS, BASED ON ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIC SEARCHES, ABSTRACT SEARCHES, LIBRARY RESOURCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA IN CANADA, INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED WITH FACULTY MEMBERS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS FAMILIAR WITH LONG-TERM CONFINEMENT, AND CORRESPONDENCE WITH INVESTIGATORS AND AGENCIES DIRECTLY CONCERNED WITH THE ISSUE OF LONG-TERM CONFINEMENT REVEALED THE LACK OF SYSTEMATIC RESEARCH DEVOTED TO THE EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM IMPRISONMENT. THE FOLLOWING FACTORS WERE RELATED TO IMPRISONMENT: (1) PSYCHOLOGICAL CORRELATES (TIME PERSPECTIVE, COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING, SELF-PERCEPTION, PERSONALITY VARIABLES, AND VALUE CHANGE); (2) PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS (THE GANSER SYNDROME CHARACTERIZED BY THE GIVING OF APPROXIMATE ANSWERS, THE CLOUDING OF CONSCIOUSNESS, FEATURES OF SOMATIC CONVERSION, AND A TRANSIENT STATE WITH SUBSEQUENT AMNESIA FOR MANIFESTATION OF THE PRECEDING SYMPTOMS); (3) PRISONIZATION; (4) SUPPORT SERVICE ORIENTATION; (5) INSTITUTIONAL IMPACT; (6) FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS; AND (7) ADAPTIVE AND MALADAPTIVE REACTIONS TO CONFINEMENT (EXTREME STRESS IN DEATH ROW, DIFFERENTIAL ADAPTATION TO CONFINEMENT, AND STRESS AND ADAPTATION IN OTHER DEPRIVATION ENVIRONMENTS). ONE OF THE STRONGEST IMPRESSIONS TO EMERGE WAS THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN PERSONAL ACCOUNTS AND DATA-BASED RESEARCH. THE QUESTION OF SECURITY WITH LONG-TERM PRISONERS WAS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. BASIC NEEDS OF PRISONERS TO MINIMIZE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM CONFINEMENT WERE FOUND TO BE COMFORT, CONTROL, AND MEANING IN LIFE. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH FOCUS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMON DATA BASE, THE FORMULATION OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH TEAMS, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RESEARCH ACTION MODEL. REFERENCES ARE CITED, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON LONG-TERM CONFINEMENT AND AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW ARE APPENDED.