Psychology Commons^™

The Connection Between Mental Illness And Prisoner Recidivism: A Study Of The Self-Perceptions And Perspectives Of Mentally Impaired Low-Level Non-Violent Male Exoffenders, Sammie L. Stinson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the connection between mental illness and prisoner recidivism in California and Los Angeles County. As the literature review discloses, there are various theories that claim to explain why mentally impaired offenders are reincarcerated for breaking the law after they are released. This dissertation presents five research questions based on the literature review and theoretical framework and collected survey and interview data from a sample of 30, self-reported, mentally impaired ex-offenders. The research questions and theoretical framework is intended to provide the reader with an assessment of the viewpoints of the mentally impaired survey participants regarding the connection …

The Effect Of Early Intervention On Reducing Recidivism, Claire Meyer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The current punishment-based system has not led to promising recidivism rates showing the lack of effect it has on changing behavior. By working to understand the effect interventions can have on reducing recidivism, society can improve the criminal justice system. The intention of this paper is to show the benefits of moving to a system focused on rehabilitation instead of punishment, specifically for juvenile offenders. By conducting a literature review of available research, it can be seen that an incarceration-based system is not as effective as the implementation of intervention and prevention methods can be. Cognitive behavioral therapy and community-based …

Justifying Antipathy?: Examining Racialized Perceptions Of Incarceration And Support For Mental Healthcare In Prisons, Jared Brassil

Honors Theses

The current U.S. criminal justice system has a disproportionate number of people suffering from mental illness. Additionally, many of these prisons not only lack the ability to properly treat these individuals, but in some cases may even worsen the problem. Public support, and importantly whom the public thinks the prototypical prisoner is, is important to know when advocating for reform. This research aims to investigate whether or not racialized perceptions of the U.S. criminal justice system impact support for mental healthcare reform in prisons. Given the exploratory nature of this work, potentially relevant individual difference variables are also investigated. An …

The Experiences Of Successful Formerly Incarcerated African American Males, Bernice Gordon-Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American men are incarcerated at alarming rates and often recidivate at high rates within 3 years. Researchers have demonstrated that recidivism rates last through years 4 and beyond. There is limited qualitative data to provide strategies from formerly incarcerated African American males who have been successful at not recidivating for 10 or more years after their release. The purpose of this Afrocentric-hermeneutic phenomenological study was to bridge the gap in the literature and explore the lived experiences of African American males who were formerly incarcerated and have positively changed their lives to avoid further criminality. A purposeful and snowball …

The Experiences Of Successful Formerly Incarcerated African American Males, Bernice Gordon-Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American men are incarcerated at alarming rates and often recidivate at high rates within 3 years. Researchers have demonstrated that recidivism rates last through years 4 and beyond. There is limited qualitative data to provide strategies from formerly incarcerated African American males who have been successful at not recidivating for 10 or more years after their release. The purpose of this Afrocentric-hermeneutic phenomenological study was to bridge the gap in the literature and explore the lived experiences of African American males who were formerly incarcerated and have positively changed their lives to avoid further criminality. A purposeful and snowball …

Mpacts Of Parental Incarceration On Child's Well-Being And Interventions To Support Them, Anna Stacey Roberge

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study reviews the effectiveness and impact of current interventions for children who have incarcerated parents in New Hampshire. The negative impacts of parental incarceration have led to the need for these intervention strategies. Recently psychologists and behavioral experts have conducted their studies which show that children who have incarcerated parents are more likely to display delinquent behaviors. Additionally, studies have shown that parental incarceration can lead to the experiencing of several more psychological difficulties, such as depression, anxiety, and learning disorders (Kremer et al., 2020). Several communities have worked to implement interventions that will help these children avoid falling …

Categorizing Reentry And Reintegration Efforts Across Five States, Modena Stinnette

Dissertations

An average of 12,500 individuals are released from correctional control institutions in America each week. The reentry and reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into communities has become a relevant concern. This collateral damage caused by mass incarceration continues to challenge correctional institutions and community-based service providers to create better pathways for individuals returning home. Ending the collateral damage caused by mass incarceration will require a change in the way reentry and reintegration are defined, policies are created, recidivism is defined, and services are provided to individuals affected by mass incarceration. This research explores reentry and reintegration practices across five states. …

Applications Of The John Henryism Hypothesis: Mitigating Associations Between Incarceration, Drug Use, And Sex Partner Characteristics, Paris Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Individual risk behaviors are not enough to explain STI disparities among African American women. Effects of structural, social, and individual level risk factors may be mitigated by cultural factors that help increase resilience. The current study aimed to examine whether John Henryism Active Coping (JHAC), a cultural correlate marked by physical and mental vigor and self-determination, mitigates relationships between criminal justice status, crack cocaine use, and sex partner risk characteristics. Data were derived from a sample of African American women living in Kentucky (n=643). Ordinal logistic regression and stepwise linear regression analyses were utilized to examine whether interactions between criminal …

The Need For Belonging For Previously Incarcerated Probationers, Alaina Elam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on offender rehabilitation has primarily focused on providing those who are incarcerated with programs and resources to mitigate the circumstances that would lead to recidivism. There is an absence of research on how the need for belonging could reduce recidivism in probationers. Recidivism remains a social problem for many U.S. communities, as those being released are not properly equipped for their transition. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of probationers regarding their transition into their community, recidivism, and their need for belonging. As individual fulfillment and human motivation were examined, Maslow’s self-actualization …

The Impact Of The Transgenerational Cycle Of Prison On Attachment Among Black Individuals, Meagan Scott

Dissertations

This empirical study assessed the impact of incarceration on an individual’s attachment style and explored protective factors that moderate these overall outcomes. The study sought to answer the following questions: (a) Are there differences related to the gender of Black participants and the gender of their incarcerated parent? and (b) Will affective expression and/or sense of community serve as protective factors and mediate the attachment style of Black individuals who have been incarcerated? The sample consisted of 98 adults (45 of whom indicated being a part of the transgenerational cycle of prison) ranging from 18 to 68 years old. Participants …

Provider Perspectives: Working With The Male Lifer Reentry Population, Laura R. Marker Dr.

Doctoral Dissertations

The passage of Proposition 57 in California creates a path to parole for individuals who experienced long-term continuous incarceration. For the first time, men who experienced long-term incarceration are joining reentry populations in California, establishing an emerging subpopulation of men on parole who were incarcerated for life sentences or experienced long-term continuous incarceration. In the San Francisco Bay Area, most of these men will receive mental health services provided by Community Mental Health agencies or California Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (CDRC). Research suggests that men who experience continuous long-term incarceration may have symptoms of Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS).

However, few …

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: Analyzing Inhumane Practices In Mississippi’S Correctional Institutions Due To Overcrowding, Understaffing, And Diminished Funding, Ariel A. Williams

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to examine the political, social, and economic factors which have led to inhumane conditions in Mississippi’s correctional facilities. Several methods were employed, including a comparison of the historical and current methods of funding, staffing, and rehabilitating prisoners based on literature reviews. State-sponsored reports from various departments and the legislature were analyzed to provide insight into budgetary restrictions and political will to allocate funds. Statistical surveys and data were reviewed to determine how overcrowding and understaffing negatively affect administrative capacity and prisoners’ mental and physical well-being. Ultimately, it may be concluded that Mississippi has high …

Adapting The Collaborative Assessment And Management Of Suicidality (Cams) To Correctional Settings, Sydney A. Mims

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Inmate suicide is an increasing problem in prisons and jails across the United States of America. This Doctoral Specialty Project highlights the current protocols in place for inmates experiencing suicidal ideation in various correctional settings, including the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP), several state prisons and local jails across the U.S. This project introduces the entirety of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) framework as a possible suicide assessment and intervention tool that could streamline suicide focused evaluation and treatment across correctional settings, thus increasing continuity of care. Specifically, this project focuses on the effectiveness of existing adaptations …

Exploring The Private And Environmental Events Of Repeat Offenders Relative To Low Self-Control, Xavier Mims

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The dissection of self-control theory itself has served as a supplemental platform for understanding how the lack of self-control can perpetuate criminal conduct. Previous research has indicated that employing self-control theory to predict criminal behavior has been widely supported by various forms of test samples, measurements, and methodologies. However, there remains a gap in the current literature regarding the internal-motivative factors between the relationship of the offender's criminal behaviors and self-control theory. Partial understanding of what the offender experiences constitutes a significant disparity between subjective concepts and actual accounts based on an offender's view on his personal life. Therefore, the …

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Singapore Ex-Addict Prisoners’ Motivation To Remain Drug Free After Release, Chee Kin Steven Tham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reducing recidivism for drug offenders has been a challenge in Singapore since the late 1990s, when there was a spike in reentry into the system. In the year 2000, resources were invested in rehabilitation and reintegration programs to bring a reduction to the recidivism rate, but the interventions have been unsatisfactory in preventing relapse and reincarceration. This study’s purpose was to describe and interpret the lived experience of male ex-addicts who were in prison in Singapore and how they made sense of their motivation to stay drug free after their incarceration. Motivation is an important predictor of reduction and abstinence …

Predictors Of Suicidal Ideation Among Formerly Incarcerated People During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rachel Matthes Gehman

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Background and purpose: Formerly incarcerated people die by suicide at a rate 6.75 times higher than the general population, but previous research has not identified factors that contribute to this heightened risk. The conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate both suicide risk factors and the stressors of reentry. In the framework of stress proliferation theory, this study uses path analysis to identify paths from incarceration history to environmental factors (i.e., financial stress), interpersonal factors (i.e., social support and conflict), psychological factors (i.e., depression and existential isolation, the feeling of being alone in one’s subjective experience), and their subsequent relationship …

The Effects Of Racial Capitalism On Poor White Laborers, Amy Whittaker

Liberal Studies (MA) Final Essays

While always remembering that racial capitalism’s very nature ensures that non-white Americans suffer incomparable racial oppression, this paper will endeavor to expose the devastation caused to American society as a whole by explaining the ways in which racial capitalism destroyed poor white labors ability to participate fully in the economic system and strangled its chances of living the American dream. It is my hope that by discussing the missing piece of the poor white laborers’ experience under racial capitalism will unite poor white laborers and poor black laborers to work together to end racial capitalism, policing, and the carceral system. …

An Examination Of The Start Now Dialectical Behavior Therapy-Based Intervention Plus A Behavioral Level System On Male Inmate Misbehavior, Aggressive Behavior, And Mental Health, Victoria Disciullo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the START NOW program + behavioral level system (BLS) in a self-contained therapeutic community (SCTC) on inmate misbehavior at a correctional facility in a southern state. The SCTC includes the START NOW manualized mental health treatment, recreation groups, process groups as needed, and additional positive reinforcement to target inmate prosocial behavior (i.e., level system to obtain privileges). Inmate data was evaluated at 3-months pre-START NOW intervention and 3-months post-START NOW intervention to determine if there were differences in the number of referrals to mental health services for misbehavior, write-ups …

Impact Of Ptsd On Hcv/Hiv Risk-Reduction Interventions Among Incarcerated Drug-Using Women In Rural Appalachia, Caitlyn Hood

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Justice-involved women in rural Appalachian Kentucky are a particularly vulnerable group in need of targeted risk-reduction interventions for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Compared to women in the general U.S. population, justice-involved women in rural Appalachia report dramatically higher rates of HCV/HIV risk behaviors (e.g., injection drug use and risky sex), interpersonal violence (IV; e.g., physical, sexual, or emotional abuse), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). IV and PTSD may exacerbate rural Appalachian women’s risk for contracting and transmitting HIV/HCV, indicating a need to approach HCV/HIV risk-reduction interventions from a trauma-informed perspective.

Brief motivational interviewing and psychoeducation …

Social Deprivation And Solitary Confinement, Mallory Mccoy

Dissertations

Solitary confinement is one of the most enduring, severe, and restrictive prison practices that has been widely debated since its inception in the early 19th century. Across the United States, the development of supermaximum prison facilities and the use of solitary confinement have become foundational aspects of corrections. Despite the controversy surrounding solitary confinement, there has been a lack of empirical research in this area. This literature review attempted to further explore and advance the understanding of the potential harmful effects of solitary confinement on incarcerated individuals. Specifically, this review summarized what is currently know regarding the effects of social …

Loneliness, Prosocial Relationships, And Recidivism In Long-Term Incarcerated Juveniles, Amy Rhoads Jozan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prosocial bonds have been key in juvenile criminal desistance. Juvenile facility placement has resulted in deterioration of important prosocial supports and social isolation, increasing risk for recidivism. Loneliness has been increasingly prevalent in a facility setting, often leading to ongoing behavioral and health problems. Youth incarcerated longer than 1 year have experienced higher rates of physical and mental health challenges, lasting into adulthood. Lengthy juvenile incarceration impacts loneliness, postrelease prosocial relationships, and desistance implications have been underexplored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore themes associated with reaffiliation motive, or lifelong problems resulting from loneliness, after experiencing youth …

Mental Health Care Practitioners, Self-Care, And Men Who Are Postincarcerated, Aduke Mccoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health practitioners often suffer physical exhaustion, burnout, and increased stress from providing care to postincarcerated men with elevated mental illness. When working in these high environments, helping professionals, may neglect self-care when caring for clients under stressful conditions. Neglected self-care can have adverse implications for both the patient and the mental health professional. The research question aligned with the purpose of this study was to understand what grounded theory that explains how mental health practitioners manage self-care while providing services to postincarcerated men with elevated mental illness. Self-care theory was used as a conceptual framework for this qualitative grounded …

The Predictive Ability Of Self-Efficacy On Recidivism Among Adult Male Offenders, Marianne Kelly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With crime rates high and increasing numbers of offenders receiving community-based corrections sentences, factors related to risk of recidivism should be a high priority for researchers. The impact of crime on offenders, victims, and communities is costly. Traditional punishment has done little to reduce crime, particularly among repeat offenders. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive ability of self-efficacy on recidivism, based on social cognitive theory. The research design was quantitative and nonexperimental, using regression analyses. The nonrandomized sample consisted of adult males incarcerated on felony charges at a large urban jail in the Midwest of the …

Correctional Staff Attitudes Toward Transgender Individuals, Neilou Heidari

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Compared to the general population, transgender individuals face higher rates of victimization, violence, substance use, physical health issues, and mental health problems. Transgender people are more likely to face barriers in finding and maintaining employment and housing due to discrimination. As a result, they are more likely to participate in illegal economies such as sex work and drug distribution. These factors contribute to the overrepresentation of transgender people in jails and prisons in the United States. Specifically, 16% of transgender adults have been incarcerated, compared to 2.7% of the general population. While under custody, transgender individuals are at risk of …

The Relationship Of Legal History To Mood And Substance Abuse Symptoms Among Homeless Men And Women In A Residential Recovery Program, Lily A. Mkhitarian

Theses and Dissertations

Homelessness is a devastating experience that impacts hundreds of thousands of individuals in the U.S. each day. It has been widely reported that homeless persons experience higher rates of mental disorder, substance abuse, and physical illness than domiciled individuals. Homelessness is also associated with increased risk of exposure to trauma. In addition, about a quarter of homeless individuals in the U.S. report a history of incarceration. Certainly there are multiple pathways to both homelessness and incarceration. More research is needed on the implications and consequences of having a legal history on homeless persons. The purpose of this archival study was …

The Influence Of Social Support On Recidivism Of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, Alison Dockery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who are released from incarceration face many challenges with reintegration into the community, and it is important that they find stable environments to foster positive social integration. Family involved treatment programs have been shown to be successful in many areas for reentry. However, these programs lack information regarding the relationship between the individual's criminal history, risk of recidivism, and social support. This quantitative study was designed to evaluate the impact of social support on recidivism among participants. Secondary data were used from a 3-year period from a reentry program located in a large northeastern city and the Division of …

Lived Experiences Of African American Involved With An Incarcerated Intimate Partner, Sharon V. Alston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) accumulates annual data from state department of corrections. The information that the BJS accumulates annually is relevant to this study because it shows the possibility of the many African American women as well as other women in need of assistance while their loved one is incarcerated. The purpose of this study was to explore lived experiences of African American women involved with an incarcerated spouse, partner, or mate. The focal point of interest was how lived experiences affect African American women's physical and psychological well-being. The theoretical framework for this study comprised both the …

An Analysis And Critique Of Mental Health Treatment In American State Prisons And Proposal For Improved Care, Shelby Hayne

Scripps Senior Theses

Mental health treatment in state prisons is revealed to be highly variable, under-funded, and systematically inadequate. Existing literature exposes this injustice but fails to provide a comprehensive proposal for reform. This paper attempts to fill that gap, outlining a cost-effective, evidence-based treatment proposal, directly addressing the deficits in care revealed through analysis of our current system. In addition, this paper provides historical overviews of the prison system and mental health treatment, utilizing theoretical perspectives to contextualize this proposal in the present state of affairs. Lastly, the evidence is provided to emphasize the potential economic and social benefits of improving mental …

Exploring Locus Of Control In Offender Cognition And Recidivism Paradigms, Anistasha Lightning, Danielle Polage

All Master's Theses

Working with four Washington State county jails to administer surveys to currently incarcerated inmates, we investigated locus of control and beliefs in the likelihood of continued legal involvement as possible antecedents to criminal recidivism. The surveys examined whether there was any connection between legal involvement frequency and the externalization of locus of control. We investigated external locus of control with specific respect to involvement with the law, the prospect of future incarceration, and feelings concerning the overall cause of original and/or sustained legal involvement utilizing the Revised Causal Dimension Scale (McAuley, Duncan, & Russell, 1992). We identified statistically significant interactions …

Length Of Pretrial Detainment For Inmates With Mental Illness, Maria Pereira-Sosa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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 …