O Sistema Penitenciário é objeto de estudos e pesquisa nas mais diversas áreas do conhecimento: direito, educação, assistência social, economia, sociologia, psicologia. Considerando a importância e diversidade das relações eu-outro- mundo que este sistema cria e perpetua, nos propusemos a responder à seguinte indagação: de que forma se dão, e que implicações trazem, as relações eu-outro- mundo no âmbito das relações entre psicólogos e sentenciados do sistema penitenciário no contexto do Exame Criminológico? Levantamos questões e tentamos respondê-las a partir da perspectiva do Construtivismo Semiótico-Cultural (Simão, 2010). A pesquisa se deu por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas com psicólogos funcionários desta instituição que realizam ou já realizaram Exames Criminológicos. Os resultados apontaram para a procedência e relevância, para as relações em questão, de se tomar o Exame Criminológico como meio mediacional, desde a perspectiva de Wertsch (1995) / The correctional system is a research and study object in areas as diverse as: law, education, social work, economy, sociology, psychology. Considering the importance and diversity of the I-other-world relations that this system creates and perpetuates, we proposed to address the following issue: how do the I-other-world relations take place in the scope of the relations between psychologists and convicts, in the context of the Criminological Examination, and what are their implications? We put forth questions and attempted to answer them from the perspective of the Semiotic-Cultural Constructivism (Simão, 2010). The research was carried out through semi-structured interviews with psychologists employed in this institution who perform or have performed criminological examinations. The results suggest that the criminological examination is justified and relevant for the relations in question. It is suggested that the criminological examination may be used as a mediational means, from Wertschs perspective (1995)

O Sistema Penitenciário é objeto de estudos e pesquisa nas mais diversas áreas do conhecimento: direito, educação, assistência social, economia, sociologia, psicologia. Considerando a importância e diversidade das relações eu-outro- mundo que este sistema cria e perpetua, nos propusemos a responder à seguinte indagação: de que forma se dão, e que implicações trazem, as relações eu-outro- mundo no âmbito das relações entre psicólogos e sentenciados do sistema penitenciário no contexto do Exame Criminológico? Levantamos questões e tentamos respondê-las a partir da perspectiva do Construtivismo Semiótico-Cultural (Simão, 2010). A pesquisa se deu por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas com psicólogos funcionários desta instituição que realizam ou já realizaram Exames Criminológicos. Os resultados apontaram para a procedência e relevância, para as relações em questão, de se tomar o Exame Criminológico como meio mediacional, desde a perspectiva de Wertsch (1995) / The correctional system is a research and study object in areas as diverse as: law, education, social work, economy, sociology, psychology. Considering the importance and diversity of the I-other-world relations that this system creates and perpetuates, we proposed to address the following issue: how do the I-other-world relations take place in the scope of the relations between psychologists and convicts, in the context of the Criminological Examination, and what are their implications? We put forth questions and attempted to answer them from the perspective of the Semiotic-Cultural Constructivism (Simão, 2010). The research was carried out through semi-structured interviews with psychologists employed in this institution who perform or have performed criminological examinations. The results suggest that the criminological examination is justified and relevant for the relations in question. It is suggested that the criminological examination may be used as a mediational means, from Wertschs perspective (1995)

The work ethic construct has seen increased research attention in recent years and has been applied to a host of different settings. In this study, the work ethic of correctional officers (COs) was examined. Compared with other occupational samples, COs generally endorsed higher levels of work ethic across several of the dimensions. Also, we found that the measurement properties of the Multidimensional Work Ethic Scale–Short Form (MWEP-SF) were comparable to those presented in previous studies. Implications for future research and the relevance of work ethic in a corrections context are discussed. In addition, study limitations and future directions are addressed.

Drawing on original research on the effectiveness of a therapeutic community (TC) in reducing recidivism among juvenile male offenders, Correctional Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Communities: Reducing Recidivism Through Behavior Change provides a comprehensive review of the current state of drug treatment for the offending population, especially the link between juvenile offending and substance abuse. The book assesses the factors predicting successful completion of treatment as well as the methodological limitation of previous TC program reviews, and suggests policy implication and routes for future research. Using improvements such as multiple outcome criteria, long-term follow-up, matching groups on risk and needs, and the employment of a standardized instrument to measure program quality, Correctional Rehabilitation assesses the degree to which participation in the TC affects antisocial attitudes and reduces delinquency. Readers will explore how TCs can be designed to influence adolescent drug offenders and ultimately reduce recidivism. This book is essential reading for students, researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders focusing on the development of treatment programs. / https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu_books/1145/thumbnail.jpg

This research explored correction officers’ perceptions and attitudes in relation to inmates with mental health issues. In a qualitative fashion, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five correction officers in Southern California (N = 5) during the Winter 2018 Quarter. Using thematic analysis, this study identified six major themes from the interview data: mental health has remained a prominent issue within the prison population; correction officers were fairly knowledgeable about mental health; correction officers perceived themselves as having to play a limited role in the rehabilitation of inmates with mental health problems; constant prompts in daily activities and medication management were two challenges encountered by correction officers in their interaction with inmates; correction officers’ progressive preparedness to serve mentally challenged inmates; and correction officers reported a need for more support and higher level of care within the prison system. Implications for the criminal justice system were discussed. Keywords: mental health, correction officers, inmates, preparedness, lack of support

Safety at work is of the utmost importance to employees and the organizations they work for, and as such, it is a central issue for occupational health psychology. Although dramatic decreases in the number of worker injuries and fatalities have been observed over the last several decades, safety remains a principal concern for organizations. This is especially true in occupations in which employees face serious threats to their personal safety, such as correctional officers (COs). While a number of studies have identified workplace factors that contribute to worker safety, few have attempted to draw a link between employee nonwork experiences and safety at work. In the current study, a model was tested to examine whether the relationship between cognitive nonwork recovery experiences and safety performance at work was mediated by safety motivation. Specifically, the effort-recovery model (Meijman & Mulder, 1998) and the concept of self-regulatory resources (Muraven & Baumeister, 2000) were utilized to test these relationships. It was hypothesized that psychological detachment during nonwork time can replenish cognitive resources that employees need in order to feel motivated to be focused on safety in the workplace, and negative work reflection can drain these resources. Furthermore, drawing on Broaden-and-Build theory (Fredrickson, 1998) it was posited that positive work reflection during nonwork time would have a positive relationship with safety motivation. Additionally, it was hypothesized that the relationship between these cognitive recovery experiences and safety motivation would be moderated by individual perceptions of safety climate. The hypotheses were examined in a sample of COs (N = 166) from two correctional facilities in Oregon. The results overall did not provide strong empirical support for the model. No support was found for the role of psychological detachment or negative work reflection. Additionally, perceptions of safety climate did not moderate the relationship between cognitive recovery experiences and safety. However, positive work reflection during nonwork time was significantly associated with safety participation motivation, which in turn had a positive association with safety participation. Additionally analyses revealed that this relationship was reciprocal in nature when utilizing an additional sample four months after data collection, such that safety participation motivation and safety participation predicted positive work reflection. The findings from the current study build on the research between the work-life interface and safety at work, suggesting that positive nonwork experiences can potentially be related to discretional safety performance at work. Implications for practical applications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Retention of teachers in correctional organizations is an ongoing challenge. A correctional education setting is a nontraditional unstable academic setting where teacher turnover is one third within the first 5 years. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of leaders in correctional organizations who are challenged with finding ways to reduce teacher turnover in a juvenile correctional facility. The conceptual framework that guided this study was Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Using purposive sampling, 6 former juvenile correctional principals participated in the study. Data were collected through systematic open-ended semistructured interviews with 4 occurring via email correspondence, a reflective journal, and member checking. Participants provided their perceptions of factors or events that impacted a teacher's decision to remain in or leave the field. Data were analyzed with an intention to discover emerging themes through the process of thematic coding via a modified Van Manen method. The themes that emerged from the data included participatory leadership/principal support, administration expectations versus teacher expectations, correctional setting barriers, and teacher flexibility. Leadership employing and retaining quality teachers increases the probability of incarcerated youth receiving continuous educational services that are necessary to reenter society as a productive student. The increase chance of success provides a boost to the economy for society, a positive social change, because of the youth's academic and job readiness to operate as a productive citizen.

There has been an increase in the number of individuals with mental illness being housed in correctional facilities over the last 50 years. In this study, the length of pretrial detention was compared for inmates who have a mental illness and are compliant with psychiatric medications, inmates who have a mental illness and are noncompliant or not prescribed psychiatric medication, and inmates with no mental illness. I also examined if inmates who have a mental illness have less severe charges and if there was a difference in the classification of mental health diagnoses for inmates who are and are not compliant with psychiatric medications. The study used the closed charts of 427 male inmates from 1 county jail in New Jersey from the year 2016. The theoretical foundation of this study is Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, as it is believed that the basic physiological and safety needs should be met in order to provide mental health treatment. A combination 1-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) and chi-squared analysis was used to examine the data. It was concluded that inmates with mental illness who are medication compliant are incarcerated significantly longer pretrial than inmates with no mental illness. It was also found that there was a difference in the types of charges received between those with and without a mental illness. Lastly, the study found that there was no significant difference between each of the classifications of mental illness when comparing inmates with mental illness who are and are not compliant with psychiatric medications. The implication for positive social change is the benefits to the inmates with mental illness and the correctional facilities, as it confirms that inmates with a mental illness require more tailored and treatment specific services for a longer period of time.

This thesis aimed to describe the epidemiology of HCV in South Australian prisons - prevalence, transmission and risk factors. This thesis also aimed to determine the impact of incarceration on reported risk behaviours. A related objective was to evaluate the epidemiological effectiveness of the ELISA - 3 HCV antibody test using PCR as the gold standard. Finally, this thesis aimed to explore the potential for minimising HCV risk in the South Australian prison population. Methods: Two case note audits were conducted at each of eight publicly operated SA prisons ( in summer and winter ) to identify any documented HCV - antibody test results. Prisoners recruited at entry to prison were offered tests for HCV - antibody and completed a pre - entry risk factor survey. Participants completed additional risk factor surveys and ( if HCV - negative at last test ) underwent further antibody tests at three - monthly intervals for up to 15 months. A sample of participants also provided blood specimens for HCV - RNA testing. Limited stakeholder consultations with prison officers and nurses were also conducted. Quantitative data were analysed using univariate and multivariate techniques. Results: 1347 case notes were audited in summer, and 1347 in winter and an overall HCV prevalence of 42 % was estimated. In both univariate and multivariate analyses, HCV prevalence was significantly higher in female prisoners ( 65 % ), those aged above 28 years ( 48 % ), and in Indigenous prisoners originating from metropolitan areas ( 56 % ). Indigenous prisoners originating from remote areas had significantly lower HCV prevalence ( 20 % ). 666 prisoners were recruited at entry, and 42 % were estimated to be HCV - antibody positive. Three seroconversions were noted in 151 initially HCV - seronegative negative individuals followed up for a median time of 121 days - a rate 4.6 per 100 person years - but community exposure could not be ruled out. Overall agreement between HCV - antibody and HCV - RNA assays was 86 % ( 100% in the HCV negative samples ) - kappa = 0.71. Injecting history was highly prevalent in prison entrants ( 70 % ) and both community and prison injecting ( but not tattooing ) were independent predictors of entry HCV status. Prison history was also independently associated with entry HCV status. Injecting in prison during the study was infrequently reported, but significantly more likely in those testing HCV - antibody positive at prison entry ( risk ratio = 2.48, P = 0.046 ). Stakeholders were most supportive of strategies to increase education and to minimise risks associated with hair clippers, but did not support most other suggested preventive strategies. Other issues related to communicable diseases and infection control were explored in the stakeholder interviews. Conclusions: HCV prevalence in South Australian prisoners is extremely high and may have contributed to a ' ceiling effect ' , minimising the seroconversion rate observed in this population. Injecting is relatively infrequently reported in prison, but more likely in those already infected with HCV. Thus, contaminated injecting equipment represents a significant threat to other prisoners and prison staff. Strategies aimed at reducing HCV risk in prisons, which address the concerns of those expected to implement them, are proposed in this thesis. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, 2006.

Torture has long been denounced by the international community; the need to protect citizens from abuse at the hands of the state is a principle enshrined in international law. One area where abuse is common is within the correctional system and as a result, there is a need for oversight in places of detention. The Optional Protocol to the UN’s Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) is an international human rights instrument that acts as a preventive measure to monitor all places of detention through regular visits. Supportive of the OPCAT since its adoption, Canada has considered signature/ratification since 2002 but has yet to commit. The purpose of this study is to identify factors that have led to a delay in Canada becoming State Party to the OPCAT despite adherence to the principles that this instrument embodies. A policy analysis framework was utilized to conduct stakeholder interviews and review government documents. The concept of agenda-setting received special attention and content analysis of media reports and a review of government legislative activity were conducted to provide insight into the prevalence of the issue on the public and political agendas. The author argues that while there are real challenges that policymakers must overcome, the absence of political leadership has resulted in stagnation in the decision-making process. As a result, the issue has disappeared from both the public and political agenda. In order for progress to be made, political will must be created and the impetus to act (‘re-setting the agenda’) must come from civil society in the absence of government engagement on this issue.