The purpose of this study was to examine the retrospective perceptions of parent-child relations as measured by the Roe-Siegelman Parent-Child Relations Questionnaire (PCR), personality characteristics as they appear on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and types of crimes of prison inmates, specifically divided into aggressive and non-aggressive crimes.

The principle objective of this dissertation is to study the living conditions of prison inmates from a resource perspective. The empirical section builds on a level-of-living survey of prison inmates in Sweden. A representative sample of inmates (n=411) were interviewed about their living conditions, with the focus placed primarily on their situation prior to imprisonment. Most of the questions are taken from the national level-of-living surveys of the general population, thus allowing for comparisons with the living conditions of the population at large. The findings are organised into three main areas: childhood, living conditions and recidivism. They reveal large differences by comparison with the rest of the population regarding the areas examined in the level-of-living surveys, i.e. childhood conditions, education, employment, financial situation, housing, health, social relations, political resources and criminal victimisation. These differences are particularly marked when different resource deficiencies/welfare problems are viewed in combination. Low levels of participation in and poor links to the labour market, as well as various welfare problems, mean that as a group the inmates can be described as marginalised and/or socially excluded. Their situation is further affected by aspects of their living conditions not included in the level-of-living surveys of the general population, such as the abuse of alcohol and/or drugs, being sentenced to prison and recidivism. When particular groups of prison inmates are examined separately, the situation of female inmates appears to be particularly problematic. They are more likely to be substance abusers, and have accumulated a larger number of resource deficiencies. Between an individual’s debut in crime and recidivism leading to a new prison or probationary sentence, a selection process takes place on several levels. As a group, inmates differ from the general population inter alia in their experience of worse childhood and living conditions. Further, those inmates who re-offend tend to live under worse conditions than those who desist from crime. This process is interpreted from a perspective which regards an individual’s access to resources as having a vital impact on their chances in life. The conditioning influence of society at large has a profound effect on the level of opportunities available to an individual. The final section of the dissertation therefore focuses on the link between structural factors and a lack of resources at the individual level. Economic trends in Sweden during the 1990s have made this a factor of highly topical interest; already vulnerable groups were hit much harder than others by the economic crisis and rising unemployment. Against the background of this trend and an increasing individualisation in the way social problems are viewed, the distance between prison inmates and the remainder of the population is deemed likely to have increased. This conjecture is given support by the few indicators available.

The inmate population is increasing, aging and generally in poorer health than the non-incarcerated population. Providing healthcare to inmates is constitutionally mandated, and expensive. Little published research exists to assist corrections health policy makers strategically plan for future inmate healthcare needs. This research provides an extensive description of the healthcare utilization patterns of a sample of 577 male and female inmates incarcerated at state-operated prisons in Kentucky during the period January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2007 and who have at least one of the chronic conditions of diabetes, hypertension or hyperlipidemia. The primary outcome measures were a count of the number of encounters documented in the inmate‟s electronic health record by 1) medical doctors and advanced registered nurse practitioners (medical care utilization) and 2) psychiatrists and psychologists (mental healthcare utilization), and 3) a dichotomous variable indicating if the inmate had received care from a health provider located outside the prison. The explanatory variables included demographic variables, health status variables, health risk factors, sentence-related variables, facility characteristics, inmate to corrections and medical staff ratios and quality of care indicators. Differences in healthcare utilization between various groups of inmates were tested using Pearson‟s chi-squared test for categorical variables and Student t-test for continuous variables. In the bivariate analysis increasing age, being female, having comorbidities, having a diagnosis of mental illness, being obese, not adhering to diet, exercise and medications, refusing or missing treatment, being at a facility with more corrections or medical staff and having better quality of care were all associated with greater healthcare utilization. Negative binomial regression was used to analyze the count outcomes, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the dichotomous outcome. Regression analysis revealed that the number of problems an inmate had recorded in their electronic health record and increasing age were the two greatest predictors of within facility and secondary healthcare utilization. Carrying out case management and disease management for inmates with comorbidities may have benefits for Departments of Corrections and inmates.

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of filial therapy with incarcerated mothers as a method of increasing empathic behaviors with their children, increasing attitudes of acceptance toward their children, and reducing stress related to parenting. Filial therapy, a method of training parents to respond and interact therapeutically with their children, focuses on enhancing the parent-child relationship. The sample population of 22 volunteer subjects was drawn from a pool of incarcerated mothers in the Denton County Jail who had children between three and ten years of age. The experimental group parents, consisting of 12 incarcerated mothers, received 2-hour filial therapy training sessions biweekly for five weeks and participated in biweekly 30-minute play sessions with one of their children. The control group parents, consisting of 10 incarcerated mothers, received no treatment during the five weeks. The three written self-report instruments completed for pretesting and posttesting purposes by both groups were The Porter Parental Acceptance Scale, The Parenting Stress Index, and The Filial Problem Checklist. The parents were also videotaped in play sessions with their child before and after training as a means of measuring change in empathic behavior. Analysis of Covariance revealed that incarcerated mothers in the experimental group had significant change in 9 of 13 hypotheses, including (a) a significant increase in their level of empathic interactions with their children, (b) a significant increase in their attitude of acceptance toward their children, and (c) a significant reduction in the number of reported problems with their children's behavior. This study supports filial therapy as an effective intervention for enhancing the parent-child relationship with incarcerated mothers and their children. Utilizing instruction and practical application of positive therapeutic methods, filial therapy training empowers parents by increasing their parenting knowledge and skills, and indirectly empowers children who experience the parent-child relationship with an increase in unconditional acceptance and positive regard.

This study investigated the effects of trust level and note-taking upon the level of self-disclosure among prisoners. Sixty inmates at a federal prison were administered the Rotter Interpersonal Trust Scale. Next, using a median split, participants were divided into two groups of high and low mistrust. Subjects within each of these groups were then randomly assigned to a high, low, or no note-taking condition. Each prisoner then discussed an intimate topic for thirty minutes. Level of self-disclosure was measured by an abbreviated version of the Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank. No significant differences were found as a function of trust level or note-taking condition. Some implications for further research are suggested.

The problem of this study is an investigation of the recreational program provided for inmates of the Texas Prison System. The purposes of the study were to determine the type and extent of recreational activities which are made available to the men and women who live Behind the Walls and to make recommendations based on the findings of the investigation.

Inmates with gender identity disorders (GID) pose special challenges to policy makers in U.S. prison systems. Transgender persons are likely overrepresented in prisons; a reasonable estimate is that at least 750 transgender prisoners were in custody in 2007. Using the Freedom of Information Act, requests were mailed to each state, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons in 2007. The requests were for copies of policies, directives, memos, or other documents concerning placement and health care access of transgender inmates. By April 2008, 46 responses were received; 6 states did not reply. Information was qualitatively analyzed and summarized. There was substantial disparity in transgender health care for inmates with GID or related conditions. Most systems allowed for diagnostic evaluations. There was wide variability in access to cross-sex hormones, with some allowing for continuation of treatment and others allowing for both continuation and de novo initiation of treatment. There was uniformity in denial of surgical treatments for GID.

Denna studie utforskar återanpassningsprocessen och upplevelsen av stämpling bland före detta fängelsedömda individer i Sverige, med fokus på hur dessa erfarenheter påverkar deras återinträde i samhället. Genom kvalitativ analys av intervjuer från podcasten ”Utanför Murarna”, som innehåller intervjuer med före detta fängelsedömda, visar studien hur stämplingsteorin tar sig uttryck i deras vardagsliv. Studien belyser svårigheterna med att hitta boende och arbete som före detta fängelsedömd, samtidigt som den tar upp den dubbla stämpling som är relaterad till diagnoser som adhd och utmaningar som fängelsedömda mammor möter. Metodologiskt bygger studien på kvalitativ innehållsanalys av transkriberade podcastintervjuer, där fokus ligger på återanpassningsstrategier och påverkan av samhällelig stämpling. Resultaten pekar på strategier som ärlighet och undvikande, samt betydelsen av stöd från familj, vänner och rehabiliteringsprogram. Studien understryker behovet av en mer inkluderande och förstående samhällssyn gentemot före detta fängelsedömda för att understödja en effektiv återanpassning. Slutsatserna betonar vikten av att riktade stödinsatser och individanpassade program tillämpas för att adressera de specifika behov och utmaningar som före detta fängelsedömda individer möter. / This study explores the reintegration challenges that former prison inmates in Sweden face, especially caused by societal labeling through the lens of labeling theory. Using qualitative analysis, this study explores podcast interviews with former prison inmates, revealing their perceptions and experiences of reintegration. Previous research highlights the difficulties of finding housing and employment as an ex-convict, while addressing the double stigmatization as a consequence of labeling for diagnoses such as adhd and challenges faced by formerly incarcerated mothers. Accordingly, the findings of this study highlight the complexities of societal reentry, where former prison inmates struggle with societal labeling, employment, and housing issues. Strategies used by former prison inmates, such as honesty, avoidance, and earning their place in society, are examined. Additionally, the positive influence of support systems like family, housing assistance, and rehabilitation programs is highlighted. The study contributes to understanding the reintegration process, suggesting implications for policy development and interventions in criminal justice and social services. The findings also indicate areas for further research, particularly around societal labeling and effective reintegration practices.

This thesis investigates literacy in prison-based employment training provided by Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE), a Government Training Establishment, in New Zealand. The descriptive case study aims to provide an understanding of literacy in CIE. It does this by combining existing research with information gained from participant observation and staff and prisoner interviews at the Central Kitchen and the Print Shop at men’s prisons in Wellington. The thesis suggests that engagement with literacy in these CIE workplaces depends on whether it is safe or suitable to participate in workplace literacy activities; whether there is an opportunity to participate (including access to specialised support services like literacy programmes); and whether prisoners are interested in or see benefits from participating. For CIE to be more effective – both in providing a base for meaningful employment and lifelong learning – employment training needs to be offered in areas in which prisoners are interested, in tandem with embedded support services like literacy and numeracy training programmes.

本研究は受刑者教育プログラムを開発してその効果を明らかにすることを目的としている．主要教育方法としては視聴覚教育やグループワークを加味した日本のロールレタリング技法を採用し，合計12セッションのプログラムを構成した．2015年の間，Z刑務所受刑者34名を対象に3期にかけてプログラムを行い，教育前後の受刑者の心理的変化を確認した．また，受刑者の課題とFGIの質的内容分析を通じて教育効果を再確認した． / The object of this study is to develop and to evaluate an education program for prison inmates. The main method of this program which consists of 12 sessions is "role lettering" added to group work and audio-visual stimulation. In 2015, 34 prison inmates participated in this program at Z prison in Korea. This program has verified in evaluating the inmates' psychological change. And it has reverified in evaluating the effectiveness of education through qualitative content analysis of focus group interview as well as prison inmates' tasks. / 博士(社会福祉学) / Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University