NCJ Number
43851
Journal
Revue de science criminelle et de droit penal compare Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL-JUNE) Pages: 385-394
Date Published
1977
Length
10 pages
Annotation
A DESCRIPTION OF A PSYCHOTHERAPY PROGRAM IN THE CENTRAL HOUSE OF CORRECTION IN MELUN, FRANCE, IS PRESENTED; GROUP THERAPY AND ITS EFFECTS ON PRISON PERSONNEL AND INMATES ARE EXPLORED.
Abstract
THE 15-YEAR EXPERIMENT INCLUDED FIVE STAGES: SPONSORED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (1963-1965); INDEPENDENT RESEARCH (1965-1967); GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR WHICH THE PENITENTIARY ADMINISTRATION ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY (1968-1969); PSYCHIATRIC CONSULTATION ADDED TO GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY (1969-1974); AND CUTBACK IN GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY AND RETURN TO INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY (SINCE 1975). AT FIRST, SO-CALLED 'OPEN' GROUPS WERE CONVENED FOR WEEKLY 2-HOUR SESSIONS OVER APPROXIMATELY 10 MONTHS. SELECTION OF INMATE PARTICIPANTS WAS ORIGINALLY MADE BY PRISON EDUCATORS; ELIGIBLE INMATES WERE THOSE WITH RELEASE SCHEDULED BETWEEN 1 AND 3 YEARS IN THE FUTURE WHO HAD ATTAINED THE 'CONFIANCE' (CONFIDENCE OR TRUST) STAGE IN THE MELUN SYSTEM, AND PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM WAS VOLUNTARY. INITIAL GROUPS CONSISTED OF 10 INMATES, AVERAGING 37 YEARS OLD AND WITH AVERAGE SENTENCES OF 9 YEARS, 7 MONTHS. OVER THE COURSE OF THE EXPERIMENT, ELIGIBILITY WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE INMATES WHO HAD NOT YET REACHED THE CONFIDENCE STAGE, AND THE TECHNIQUE OF OPEN GROUPS WAS ABANDONED IN FAVOR OF CLOSED GROUPS WHICH COULD ALLOW A GREATER DEPTH OF TREATMENT. PRISON PERSONNEL AND INMATES ALIKE REPORTED AN INCREASED ABILITY ON THE PART OF PRISONERS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM TO DEAL WITH INSTITUTIONAL LIFE, TO OBJECTIFY BOTH PERSONAL CONFLICTS AND PROBLEMS OF INCARCERATION, AND TO STABILIZE THEIR PERSONALITIES. -- IN FRENCH.