Psychological Effects Of Prison

Question 1

Psychological effects of custodial sentencing - +ve and -ve

Answer 1

Stress and depressand
suicide)
• Institutionalisation
• Prisonisation
• Overcrowding and lack of privacy
• Deindividuation
• Effects on the family
• Labelling
•positives effects - resulting from opportunity, treatment
rehabilitation, remorse etc.

Question 2

Evidence supports psychological effects

Answer 2

Barton 1995
For many offendiers punishment cab be brutal demeaning and devastating
Suicide rates tend to be 15 times higher then the general population
Most are at risk young men during the first 24h of confinement

Question 3

Prison reform trust 2014 study

Answer 3

25% of women and 15% of men in prison report symptoms
e.g psychosis
Suggesting prison can trigger psychological disorders in those that are vulnerable
Its not effective in rehabilitating individuals who are
psychologically vulnerable

Question 4

Individual differences

Answer 4

Not all offenders react in the same way
Different prisons have different regimes
Length of the sentence and previous experience of prison
Many convicted have had pre existing psychological and emotional difficulties at the time they were convicted

Question 5

Opportunities for training and treatment

Answer 5

Many prisoners access education and training whilst in prison increasing their chances of finding a job upon release.
Anger management schemes and social skills training gives them insight into behaviour and reduces likelihood of reoffending.

Not all prisoners have access to these programmes
Prisons can lack resources to provide these programmes
Even when they can provide them the effectiveness of these schemes is not conclusive

Question 6

Universities of crime

Answer 6

Being subjected to other more experienced criminals may teach a younger offender tricks of the trade
This can then undermine attempts to rehabilitate prisoners and make reoffending more likely

Question 7

Alternatives to custodial sentencing

Answer 7

Davies (2000)
• Government ministers often exaggerate the benefits of prison in a bid to appear tough on crime
• In reality prison does little to rehabilitate or deter from crime
• Alternatives such as community service have been proposed where employment can be maintained