Hi All,

Something that often comes up when I read other threads is that people have been applying CP principles in many different ways within mainstream services, to the benefit of the people they are working with.

I was wondering if people have experience of using CP principles either in a therapeutic or research setting within the prison setting/ probation? Does this differ in private/ public prisons? 

Something that I often come up against in my own thinking, being based in an NHS setting is that access to services and pathways out of prison can come from health funding with diagnosed mental health problems (e.g. personality disorder). 

I wondered, given the ever growing prison population, what might be some helpful resources people within mainstream prisons?

Views: 172

Replies to This Discussion

Hi Sarah, 

Thanks for setting this group up.  I've been thinking about how the prison represents a microcosm of society but also a specific community.  From the JISCMail, David mentioned some research, my own interest (and capacity to work!) is more in applying CP principles.  I think you are right that there can be CP principles applied in two contexts within the prison, and then also connecting with outside the prison.

My initial thoughts are to support the development of relationships between prisoners and prison officers.  At the moment I'm still trying to get to grips with finding out what the issues are.  There is certainly a lot of fear about empowering prisoners, therefore I imagine it requires a lot of groundwork.

For people with intellectual disabilities that offend the following blog by Chris Hatton does well in turning the concept of 'risk' on its head. http://chrishatton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/a-place-of-greater-safety...It might then be argued that if you're looking at the variables that contribute towards health inequality you are at the same time working within the positive behaviour model and reducing the behaviours that are challenging (e.g. offending) at the same time.

I also think the work of Lesley Ayland in New Zealand on the Good Way Model is really inspiring and very transferable. http://www.wellstop.org.nz/index.php?page=research-and-publications

Its an 'integrative' approach so you can mix and match your favourite techniques from other models but generally looks at identifying the primary goods that an individual is aiming for (that resulted in the offending) [ala the Good Lives Model http://dhs.sd.gov/ddc/documents/GoodLivesModel.pdf

but helps guide the individual as to develop core skills and build upon their strenghs to achieve what it is they wanted in a better way, than the one they had previously chosen. I think each of these methods fits with community psychology values and principles.

Hi Sarah and All,

Good idea! I'd be interested to know of any work happening in relation to forensic settings and to talk more about this area. I have done a little bit of work using drama in prison context. 

It looks like you started this group a while ago...is anything still happening with it?

Thanks,

Tamsin

Hi Tamsin!!

I'd love to still continue this thinking, however at the moment, with various cuts in the prison service and then the contract to provide services in the prison up for renewal, there seems to be little space to develop anything just yet.  I'm currently caught in the day to day stuff at the moment.  Am really eager to help the system change, and I think there will be scope once the contract has been clarified. 

Abdullah

Hi Abdullah, Scott and Tamsin,

I'm sorry I have been so late in responding to this discussion, Tamsin mentioned the responses that have come up and it had completely gone out of my head.

Abdullah, I really like your idea of thinking about the relationship between the prison officers and the prisoners. It made me think about the processes of dehumanisation or distancing from the reality of the human that seem to be common in inpatient and prison settings- perhaps because resources are so stretched and people feel under pressure to 'do a job' which can be very scary. I feel that lots of people working in these environments don't get the opportunity to think differently about things and this can lead to burnout and their own psychological distress. The recent introduction of the 'super prison' seems to further emphasise this Government's emphasis on cost, rather than care. I would really like to have a think about how we could support those working and living in these environments to come up with ways that 'humanness' can be increased and oppression reduced.  Recently the suicide rate has started to increase and it's not suprising with all that is happening with cuts and service changes, as you say.

Perhaps we could organise a time to get together early in the new year to think through these issues?

Sarah.

RSS

Latest Activity

Sarah Bradley updated their profile
Mar 9, 2022
Birgitte Solveig Rustand (Bri) posted a discussion

Access to our profile

there is a Joseph Maclaughlin 500 gmail intruder phishing and accessing community psychology uk…See More
Nov 20, 2021
Profile IconPaul Rainey, Kate Quinn, kenneth flaherty and 6 more joined CommunityPsychologyUK
Jul 4, 2021
Josephine Schamp updated their profile
Apr 11, 2021

© 2024   Created by Sally Z.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service