PRISON PSYCHOLOGIST - A PRISONER'S VIEW - AUSTRALIA

• NCJ Number: 63336
• Author(s): A DUDDY
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 19 pages
• Corporate Author: Western Australia Dept of Corrections
• Sale Source: Western Australia Dept of Corrections
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: NO 11 OF THE DEPARTMENT'S RESEARCH AND INFORMATION SERIES PAPER PRESENTED AT AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY SEMINAR ON PSYCHOLOGISTS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WOOROLOO, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, JULY 12-16, 1976

Annotation

AN INMATE OF AN AUSTRALIAN PRISON DESCRIBES HOW PRISONERS VIEW A PSYCHOLOGIST AND PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT AND ASSESSES THE ROLE OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST IN THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM.

Abstract

ALTHOUGH THEY MAY BE THE MOST EDUCATED AND PROGRESSIVE GROUP IN THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM, PRISON PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE NO REAL AUTHORITY AND HAVE NOT TAKEN ANY ACTIVE ROLE IN PRISON REFORM. THE FUNCTIONS AND METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE UNCLEAR TO MOST PRISONERS, AND THIS PROVIDES FERTILE GROUND FOR RUMORS AND SCANDAL. THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF A THERAPIST-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP LOSES ALL CREDIBILITY IN THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT, AND THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT IN CIVILIAN LIFE IS MAGNIFIED IN PRISON. HOWEVER, HOSTILITY DIRECTED TOWARD PSYCHOLOGISTS BY OTHER PRISON PERSONNEL IMPROVES THEIR STANDING AMONG INMATES. PSYCHOLOGISTS WHO SHOULD BE DEVELOPING WAYS TO MAKE PRISON MORE TOLERABLE AND REHABILITATIVE HAVE INSTEAD BECOME ALIENATED FROM DAILY PRISON LIFE; PARTICIPATION IN PRISON SOCIAL AND SPORTING CLUBS COULD REMEDY THIS SITUATION. PRISONERS UNDERGOING PUNISHMENT SHOULD BE SEEN DAILY BY A PSYCHOLOGIST AS WELL AS A REGULAR PHYSICIAN. THE FUNCTION OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST SHOULD BE EXPLAINED TO PRISONERS AND STEPS TAKEN TO REMOVE THE STIGMA FROM THERAPY. IN ORDER TO EXPAND THEIR ROLE, PSYCHOLOGISTS MUST NEGOTIATE FOR MORE POWER WITHIN THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM. A FOOTNOTE COMMENTS ON INACCURACIES NOTED IN THE PAPER WHEN IT WAS REVIEWED FOR PUBLICATION. (MJM)