published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

by Yau Mei-siu, Teresa. / Bibliography : leaves 141-147 / Thesis (M.S.W.)-Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1982

Thesis. 1975. B.S.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. / Bibliography: leaves 107-108. / by Beth L. Karpf. / B.S.

In India, various underlying gender related structural factors (i.e., interpersonal violence, lack of social supports, limited opportunities, poverty, and gender biases in mental health practice) serve to keep women living with serious mental illness isolated in psychiatric institutions. Despite this, narratives of women living with serious mental illness and their experiences within institutions have received limited visibility in research. The present study addresses this crucial gap by documenting the lives of women who are former inpatients of a mental hospital and are currently residing at a halfway home in India. I adopted a social constructivist narrative approach to incorporate women’s experiences and examine the context and ways in which their experiences were shaped and situated. Specifically, the study explored the following questions. 1. How do women describe their experiences and perceptions related to the illness and living at a psychiatric institution (i.e., mental hospital and the halfway home)? 2. What are the physical and social characteristics of the halfway home serving women living with serious mental illness in India? I answered the first question using narrative data, collected through 34 in-depth interviews with 11 women residents at the halfway home, I examined the second question using field notes that included everyday observations and interactions with women residents, staff members, and interviews with the Director, the Psychologist, the Social Worker, and the Head Housemother at the halfway home. Thereafter, using the theories of self-in-relation (Miller, 1976; Surrey, 1985), institutionalization (Goffman, 1961), and intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1990), I dissect the two research questions further to analyse how women’s experiences and perceptions related to illness and institutionalization are shaped by their gender and social positioning. Using a gender lens, I also critically examine the psychosocial rehabilitation program at the halfway home and ways in which it supports women living with serious mental illness. I used Fraser (2004) guidelines to analyse the narrative data and Emerson, Fretz & Shaw (1995) guidelines to analyse field notes. Women’s narratives highlight that gender and social positioning significantly shape their experiences of living with mental illness in India. Women perceived their discriminatory social context, particularly restrictive gender norms, a lifetime of denied opportunities, loss of relationships, and violence both in the natal and marital family as factors that contributed and/or exacerbated their illness experiences. Women’s narratives of institutionalization were also embedded in discriminatory social contexts. Poverty and gender disadvantage were the primary reasons for women’s admission to mental hospitals. Furthermore, the shift in care from institutions like mental hospitals to less restrictive institutions like the halfway home did not necessarily improve the lives of women living with serious mental illness. Women share several gender-specific barriers to leaving the halfway home. Furthermore, psychiatric institutions often mirrored patriarchal social relations by perpetuating illness and gender related biases in the delivery of care.

It is no secret that over the last several decades, prison populations have grown exponentially due to an increasingly “tough on crime” policy stance and war on drugs. Although male offending populations continue to make up the majority of prison inmates nationwide, the fastest growing prison population has actually been female offenders, many who are locked up for nonviolent offenses like drug possession and larceny. Until recently, female offenders have been treated as an afterthought to male-dominated prison statistics. However, further research shows that female offending patterns are starkly different from their male counterparts, and women are contributing to higher recidivism rates because of their unmet needs prior to, during, and after incarceration. Therefore, this paper argues that state and federal governments must institute gender-responsive policies in order to combat stubbornly high recidivism rates through reentry alternatives, especially halfway houses.

published_or_final_version / Medicine / Master / Doctor of Medicine

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2005. / Not embargoed. Vita. Bibliography: 156-180.

The Department of Correctional Services sees the need for intensive preparation of inmates for reintegration into the community after release. Presently the Department of Correctional Services conducts pre-release preparation programmes in larger institutions. The inmates are, however, detained in institutions where the influence from other inmates is not conducive to the effective preparation of inmates for adjustment in free society after release or placement on parole. The use of halfway houses can combat the latter problems and play an important role in providing educational and training programmes. Specialised services such as social work; religious work, counselling, psychological treatment and psychiatry receive attention. Inmates who are merely released from prison without effective preparation are likely to resort to recidivism / Penology / M.A. (Penology)

Yip Kin Sun. / "Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 1999-2000, design report." / Includes bibliographical references. / Chapter 1.0 --- Statement / Chapter 1.1 --- Personal Statement --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Mission Statement --- p.3 / Chapter 2.0 --- Methodology --- p.3 / Chapter 3.0 --- Existing State / Chapter 3.1 --- Mental hitstory of Hong Kong 1841-2000+ --- p.4-6 / Chapter 3.2 --- Trace of rehabilitation in community-base --- p.7 / Chapter 3.3 --- Deinstitutionalization --- p.8 / Chapter 4.0 --- Solid-base in community: / Chapter 4.0 --- Hin Keng House --- p.9-10 / Tuen Mun Long Stay Care Home --- p.11-12 / Jockey Club Farm House --- p.13 / New Life Farm --- p.14 / Kwun Tong Amity Centre --- p.15-16 / "Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Kwai Chung Hospital" --- p.17-18 / Chapter 5.0 --- Define the problems & arguments --- p.19 / Chapter 6.0 --- End Users' life routine --- p.20 / Chapter 7.0 --- Subject body Attributes --- p.21-23 / Chapter 7.1 --- Definition of subject body / Chapter 7.2 --- Subject users / Chapter 7.3 --- Subject location / Chapter 7.4 --- Subject size / Chapter 7.5 --- Subject appearance / Chapter 7.6 --- "Subject impact to ""community""" / Chapter 8.0 --- Site Selection Criteria --- p.24 / Chapter 8.1 --- Possible bases： / "Tai Wai, Chik Fai Street" / Lung Hang Estate unused area within the estate / Pok Hong Estate an unused area east of Shan Ha Wai (Tsang Tai UK) --- p.25-27 / Chapter 9.0 --- "Site analysis (Tai Wai, Chik Fai Street)" --- p.28 / Chapter 10.0 --- Programs / Chapter 10.1 --- Subject body --- p.28 / Chapter 10.2 --- Design consideration --- p.29-34 / Chapter 10.3 --- Schedule of Accommodation --- p.35-36 / Chapter 11.0 --- Design Approach / Chapter 11.1 --- Design Concept --- p.37 / Chapter 11.11 --- Design Concept of Mid-way home --- p.38-39 / Chapter 11.12 --- Design Concept of Activity Center --- p.39-40 / Chapter 12.0 --- Compliance with Building Planning Regulation --- p.40-44 / Chapter 13.0 --- Building Services --- p.44 / Chapter 14.0 --- Review comments and self-epilogue --- p.45 / Chapter Appendix --- Workshop questionnaire / Bibliography