Confinement and psychology
La penitentiary psychology it is a branch of Legal Psychology, which deals with the life of prisoners and the re-educational activity of punishment, within prisons.
Through a targeted psychological path we try to re-educate the deviant subject, reintroducing him into society.
The presence, in prisons, of specialized psychological figures, capable of identifying the causes of delinquent behavior, is therefore necessary and obligatory.
The psychologist in prison from a legislative point of view
With the reform of the Penitentiary System which took place in 1975 (law n° 354) the role of the psychologist was recognised within the penitentiary system, in order to observe the behaviour of the inmates and intervene with targeted psychotherapeutic treatments, where necessary.
Article 80 of law no. 354 provides for the possibility for the penitentiary administration to avail itself of professionals with expertise in psychology, in pedagogy, psychiatry and clinical criminology.
The UN had already established on 30 August 1955, through a set of rules regarding the treatment of prisoners, the need to integrate prison staff with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, educators, technical instructors, dedicated to the treatment and re-education of prisoners.
The circular of the Penitentiary Administration n.2598/5051 of 13 April 1979 also specifies that the psychologist has the task of to ascertain the subject's mental functioning, from an intellectual, family and attitudinal perspective.
In addition to the entrance interview and the first medical examination, a preventive interview directed by the psychologist, in order to understand the procedures to be implemented to protect the prisoner, as well as the safety of other convicts and all the staff of the institution.
The psychologist, therefore, after having carefully evaluated the cognitive and emotional state of the prisoner, suggests the disposition of the convict inside the prison, providing indications on the type of intervention to be implemented, such as particular isolation measures. The sector in which the figure of the psychologist is juvenile criminology, where the correctional ideology is very important. In this context the punitive approach is completely replaced by the re-educational one.
The role of the psychologist in prison
The psychologist evaluates the prisoner's personal profile, focusing on the cause of his social maladjustment.
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Secondly, it intervenes on behavior, through a specific therapeutic and re-educational plan, which allows the convict to rework his anxieties and psychological problems.
Lo prison psychologist, usually, intervenes before the conviction; upon entry into prison, a form is issued regarding the subject's mental state, on the basis of which the prison measure is drawn up.
Another very important task carried out by the prison psychologist is to provide a psychological support for prisoners. Let's try to imagine what happens in the world of prisons: overcrowded cells, people of completely different ethnicities locked up in a few square meters, communication problems, restriction of personal freedom, serious psychological disorders, hygiene problems, etc.
In such a context, the work of the psychologist is indispensable, but above all critical and delicate. We are always talking about people who have committed a crime: there are those who have killed, those who have raped, those who have stolen, etc. so it is not easy to work closely with these people.
The psychologist has great responsibilities towards the prisoner; he also participates in the Disciplinary Council where he expresses his opinion, which can subject the prisoner to a subsequent restrictive measure.
In addition to the activities described above, it is worth mentioning the psychological interventions aimed at particular cases such as mentally ill prisoners, paedophiles, serial killers, repentants, collaborators of justice, etc.
So we can say that the psychologist in prison works on multiple fronts:
- On the protection of the psychophysical well-being of the convicted person;
- On the assessment of the social security of the convicted person and of all prison staff;
- On the judgment and punishment of the condemned.
The contribution of prison psychologists is therefore to introduce into the penitentiary institution a new vision of man, made up of psychological and physical dynamics.
The relationship between the prisoner and the psychologist
Usually the interview with the psychologist is requested directly by the prisoner, in rare cases it is requested upon notification by the Institute Management. This occurs when the prisoner shows symptoms of maladjustment (hunger strike, self-harm, indiscipline and insubordination), which the penitentiary system is unable to contain, through simple pharmacological therapy or intramural treatment (school courses, professional training, etc.). In these specific cases, the correspondence between the user and the specialist is lacking. The prisoner, most of the time, refuses to collaborate, because he sees the psychological treatment as an imposition.
The psychologist, therefore, moves on delicate ground, where it is very difficult to build a relationship of trust, a fundamental prerequisite for a successful therapy.
The specialist is located between the "treat" and the "to punish", among the needs"sanitary" and those "judicial".
For this reason, the conversation, the ability to listen and the relationship with the prisoner are fundamental.
In this regard, it is necessary to always inform the prisoner, in a clear and transparent manner, about the role played by the specialist, about his/her tasks, about his/her limits and about the objectives that he/she wants to achieve.
Only in this way is it possible to establish an honest relationship, based on trust and mutual collaboration.
