ArticleLiterature Review

Meditation Research: The State of the Art in Correctional Settings

March 2010
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 55(4):646-61

March 2010
55(4):646-61

Source
PubMed

Authors:

There is research that serves as evidence in favor of meditation-based programs as rehabilitative for incarcerated populations. This article reviews empirical research regarding the effects of meditation-based programs in correctional populations. Three meditation-based interventions have been shown to represent the majority of empirical research and are reviewed in this article: Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and 10-day Vipassana retreats. Selected dissertation research is reviewed as well. Overall, research suggests three areas in which meditation-based programs provide sufficient treatment to criminal offenders: the enhancement of psychological well-being, a decrease in substance use, and a decrease in recidivism. This suggests that meditation-based programs may be proper treatment programs and support rehabilitation for correctional populations.

A Pilot Study of Yoga with Incarcerated Youth Using the Prison Yoga Project Approach

Article

Dec 2023

In recent decades, there has been more significant implementation and research of yoga programs in prisons and correctional facilities. Existing literature suggests that adult and juvenile prison-based yoga programs may improve stress-management and self-regulation skills; reduce depression, anxiety, aggression, and addictive behaviors; and increase prosocial behaviors. However, yoga in juvenile correctional facilities is still understudied compared to adult populations. The Prison Yoga Project (PYP) and Yoga FLAME (Focus, Letting go, Anger management, Mindfulness, and Exhaling negativity) are two frameworks used to structure the implementation of prison-based yoga programs among incarcerated adolescents. The present study aimed to describe trauma-related stress and self-regulation levels in a sample of incarcerated youth and to explore yoga’s effects on developing stress-reduction skills. The study collected measures on overall and in-session stress reduction and baseline self-regulation. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and public-safety restrictions, the present study was prematurely terminated after 5 months. Only pre-assessment measures were collected. Across time, participants reported a 38% mean stress reduction from the beginning to the end of a yoga session. Incarcerated youth with higher initial self-regulation levels showed higher pre- to post-session improvements in stress. The present findings provide valuable evidence that yoga practice using the combined PYP and FLAME framework can deliver practical benefits to juvenile correctional facilities. Furthermore, yoga may be used to foster rehabilitation, enhance skill development, and facilitate greater success in youth transitioning back into the community.

Meditation in Prison. The Oxford Handbook of Meditation

Chapter

Jan 2021

Katherine M. Auty

In recent years interest in the use of meditation programs in prison has grown considerably, yet empirical research evidence for their effectiveness has been slower to accumulate. This chapter explores the application of meditation programs that take place within prison walls and evaluates their effectiveness in three key areas: (i) mental health and psychological wellbeing; (ii) substance misuse; (iii) and reoffending behavior. Evidence from prison studies, most of them conducted in the USA, is reviewed with a focus on their effectiveness. The philosophical and historical context of meditation is taken into account, and key concepts and definitions are critiqued. The chapter explores the meditation practices that are most often found in prison, such as Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and Vipassana meditation. It examines meditation’s role as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of substance misuse disorders and more general applications that aim to enhance well-being. The limitations of current studies together with directions for future research are also discussed.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Incarcerated Populations: A Meta-Analysis

Article

Dec 2019
CRIM JUSTICE BEHAV

A growing body of research supports the use of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in incarcerated populations; however, treatment effectiveness remains unclear. This meta-analysis of 22 studies ( N = 2,265, 75% male) quantified the effectiveness of MBIs in incarcerated populations on key psychological outcomes and criminogenic needs. Results from pre–post studies indicated MBIs had a small to moderate effect on all outcomes, but this was not supported by controlled studies. Studies with older participants, more females, and longer treatment length demonstrated slightly greater effects. Results from pre–post analyses demonstrated significant reductions in psychological outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress) and criminogenic needs (impulsivity, self-dysregulation, anger, substance use behavior, and attitude). However, only depression and anxiety were significantly reduced in controlled studies. Although findings offer preliminary support of the efficacy of MBIs in targeting psychological health in incarcerated populations, further controlled studies are required to examine criminogenic outcomes and recidivism rates after treatment.

Mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment (MBSAT) improves executive functions in adolescents with substance use disorders

Article

Sep 2019
NEUROL PSYCHIAT BR

Etiology And Treatment Of Neuropsychological And Cognitive Deficits In Relation To Antisocial Behavior

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2018

Rebecca Umbach

Impaired neuropsychological and cognitive functioning are well-understood to be risk factors for antisocial behavior. There are, however, gaps in our knowledge of the etiology and effective treatment of neuropsychological and cognitive deficits. My dissertation examines these questions in a series of three papers. The first paper proposes a serial mediation model wherein neighborhood disadvantage and subsequent impaired neuropsychological functioning represent a partial explanation of the race-antisocial behavior relationship. In a community sample of male and female young adolescents, the hypothesized sequential path accounted for 10.8% of the relationship between race and antisocial behavior. The second paper examines the relationship between sleep and antisocial behavior, which has primarily been examined via correlational or extreme sleep deprivation studies. Using National Incidence-Based Reporting System and city-reported data, this paper exploits the natural experiment of daylight saving time (DST) to examine the effects of a very mild change in sleep on assault rates. The Monday directly following the advent of DST was associated with 3% fewer assaults as compared to the Monday a week later, which we hypothesize may be the result of fatigue. In contrast, we saw 3% more assaults following the return to standard time. The final paper examines a sample of incarcerated male adolescents longitudinally to test whether incarceration results in impaired cognition, and if so, whether a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/Mindfulness intervention can protect against such impairments. Performance on three measures derived from an emotional go/no-go task significantly worsened from baseline to follow-up, however, two marginally significant time x group interactions suggest mindfulness may be potentially effective in buffering the adverse effects of imprisonment. While many scholars have postulated about adverse psychological effects of incarceration, this is one of the first papers to empirically document such effects. In totality, the proposed dissertation is intended to improve our understanding of the association between cognition and antisocial behavior through examining external and environmental influences on the brain. From a theoretical perspective, findings highlight the need to explore environmental correlates of neuropsychological and cognitive deficits. From an applied and policy perspective, findings indicate potential avenues for individual-level treatment that may positively impact behavior.

Teaching for well-being? Introducing mindfulness in an undergraduate course

Article

Dec 2017

Student mental health and well-being are increasing concerns in higher education. This exploratory study examined students’ learning in a mindfulness programme incorporated into an undergraduate class. Six brief mindfulness-based practices were introduced: mindfulness meditation, walking meditation, body scan, mindful eating, loving-kindness and Tonglen meditation. Fourteen students were interviewed after completion of the course to explore their conceptions and use of mindfulness and other self-care practices. Results of thematic analyses suggest that there were variations in students’ adoption of mindfulness-based practices and students’ preferred mindfulness techniques. Most participants reported that mindfulness instruction and practice were beneficial but this was not universal; some students reported that mindfulness was ‘not for them’. Findings suggest that mindfulness fostered self-reflection, self-awareness and relaxation for many students and incorporating mindfulness at the beginning of class improved the overall quality of discussion and facilitated students’ learning. Findings further suggest that students incorporated mindfulness into existing self-care practices that included a variety of other preferred techniques to enhance self-reflection, self-awareness and relaxation. Overall, our findings suggest that students should be helped, through explicit instruction, to develop a ‘toolbox’ of self-care approaches that may include, but are not necessarily limited to, mindfulness techniques.

Cognitive Decline as a Result of Incarceration and the Effects of a CBT/MT Intervention: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2017
CRIM JUSTICE BEHAV

This study primarily tests whether incarceration negatively affects cognitive functioning; namely, emotion regulation, cognitive control, and emotion recognition. As a secondary interest, we test protective effects of a cognitive behavioral therapy/mindfulness training (CBT/MT) intervention. Dormitories containing 197 incarcerated males aged 16 to 18 years were randomly assigned to either a CBT/MT program or an active control condition. A cognitive task was administered pretreatment and again 4 months later, upon treatment completion. Performance on all outcome variables was significantly worse at follow-up compared with baseline. There were marginally significant group by time interactions. While the control group performance significantly declined in both cognitive control and emotion regulation, the CBT/MT group showed no significant decline in either outcome. This is the first study to probe the effects of incarceration on these three processes. Findings suggest that incarceration worsens a known risk factor for crime (cognitive functioning), and that a CBT/MT intervention may help buffer against declines. © 2017, © 2017 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Prison: Experiences of Inmates, Instructors, and Prison Staff

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2019

Mindfulness intervention aims to reduce stress and to improve physical and mental health. The present study investigated feasibility and effectiveness of mindfulness intervention in a prison context, in both a qualitative and quantitative fashion. Specifically, the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention was investigated, in a retrospective pre–post design, in five Dutch prisons. Twenty-two inmates (out of 25 approached, mean age: 40.1 years (SD = 11.1), convicted of murder, manslaughter, sexual offenses, drug offenses, robbery with violence, and/or illegal restraint/kidnap, and sentenced to incarceration between 15 and 209 months (M = 5.5 years; SD = 3.8) took part in a semistructured interview after completion of the MBSR intervention. The interviews addressed level of satisfaction and challenges regarding the MBSR intervention as well as potential effects on stress responsivity, coping style, impulse control, aggression, and self-esteem. Ten staff members and four MBSR instructors were interviewed about their own practical issues experienced while providing or facilitating the MBSR intervention, and about the effects or changes they observed in the inmates who underwent the intervention. Both participants and instructors/prison staff reported improvements in all of the addressed domains and expressed satisfaction with the intervention. Challenges were mainly identified in practical issues regarding the organization of the intervention sessions. Future studies should investigate mindfulness in longitudinal randomly controlled designs, should strive for a multi-method approach, and distinguish inmates according to personality characteristics.

Positive Practices Within Hinduism

Chapter

Full-text available

Aug 2023

Several practices within Hinduism have positive implications on physical and mental health and well-being. This chapter attempts to highlight some of these positive Hindu practices and examine their efficacy in light of ongoing empirical research. It elucidates how engaging in some Hindu practices and traditions such as meditation, yoga, festivals, devotional singing, praying, and offerings can have a positive influence on an individual’s well-being. It further explores how engaging in these practices has a psychological and sociological impact. Specifically, it discusses the benefits of Hindu rituals and practices in enhancing happiness, a sense of belongingness, community belongingness, and interpersonal relationships. The chapter also discusses the work of some organizations (such as the Isha Foundation and Art of Living) that are working to disseminate Hindu practices (such as yoga and meditation) globally for improving community well-being. The chapter concludes by outlining directions for future research.KeywordsYogaMeditationMantraHindu ritualsPhysical and mental healthHinduismPositive practices

Adaptation of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Trauma-Exposed, Unhoused Women With Substance Use Disorder

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2023

Objective: Women experiencing homelessness (WEH) report exceedingly high rates of trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder (SUD). Mindfulness-based interventions including Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) may help lower traumatic stress-related symptoms and reduce SUD, but have been underexplored in community-based settings serving WEH with symptoms of PTSD and SUD. Method: We used a mixed-method, community-engaged approach that implemented a Community Advisory Board and the ADAPT-ITT (assessment, decision, adaptation, production, topical experts, integration, training, testing) framework, including intervention demonstrations, to adapt and refine MBSR for WEH experiencing symptoms of PTSD/SUD. Trauma-exposed WEH (N = 28) living at a drug treatment site provided perspectives and feedback on an MBSR demonstration via quantitative questionnaires and four focus groups. Results: Quantitative measures indicated high perceived acceptability and feasibility: Nearly all WEH reported MBSR activities (including yoga, meditation, body scans, class discussion, and home practice) would be at least "somewhat helpful"; between 71.43% to 89.29% reported each activity would be "a great deal helpful." Most reported the focus group sessions were useful for providing feedback relevant for improving program design and administration. Qualitative findings revealed four themes aligning with quantitative findings that provided useful suggestions to guide MBSR implementation with trauma-exposed WEH: (a) perception of feasibility and effectiveness of MBSR, (b) strategies for successful recruitment, (c) strategies for successful retention, and (d) characteristics of the MBSR trainer. Conclusions: Focus group recommendations could bolster intervention compliance, engagement, and completion for MBSR and community-based programs for WEH more generally. Results provide suggestions for implementing a trauma-sensitive approach when administering MBSR to trauma-exposed WEH. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A Multi‐Method Exploration of Mindfulness as a Coping Tool: Perspectives from Trauma‐exposed, Unhoused Women Residing at a Drug Treatment Facility

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2022

This multi‐method study examined perspectives on mindfulness and coping strategies used by trauma‐exposed women experiencing homelessness (WEH), residing in a state‐funded residential drug treatment site in Southern California (United States). Questionnaires and in‐depth focus group interviews were utilized to examine traumatic experiences over the lifespan, probable‐posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and coping strategies. Mindfulness was explored as a potential way to improve coping; potential benefits and challenges associated with implementing a mindfulness‐based intervention (MBI) with trauma‐exposed WEH were also investigated. A Community Advisory Board (CAB) was formed to identify key issues experienced by WEH and to develop a semi structured interview guide (SSIG). Using the SSIG, women participated in one of four focus groups (total N=28; n=7 per group). Quantitative data on demographic indicators, probable‐PTSD, and trauma exposure were collected. Over 90% of women met criteria for probable‐PTSD; trauma exposure was exceedingly high; most women had experienced multiple traumas throughout their lives. Four main themes emerged from qualitative analyses, which drew from Grounded Theory and used open, selective, and axial coding: 1) ways of coping with trauma; 2) perspectives on mindfulness; 3) prior experiences with mindfulness; and 4) challenges for conducting a mindfulness program. Overall, WEH used a variety of coping techniques to deal with their trauma, had some familiarity with mindfulness, and were optimistic an MBI would be helpful, despite identifying several challenges to implementation. MBIs may be helpful adjuncts to traditional care for trauma‐exposed, WEH, recovering from substance use disorder. Population‐specific considerations may improve implementation and participation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Help-Seeking and Services Utilization Among African American Emerging Adults: A Qualitative Study

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2022

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the mental health services utilization experiences of African American emerging adults and investigated the barriers and encumbrances interviewees experienced while seeking mental health support. An inductive thematic analysis revealed six themes: (a) hesitancy-acceptance conflict, (b) positive encounters with mental health services utilization, (c) intersectional barriers to seeking mental health services, (d) resource awareness and navigation, (e) help-seeking motivators, and (f) pastoral guidance and counseling. Interviewees emphasized financial factors, services affordability, and resource knowledgeability as prominent barriers to mental health services utilization, denoting familial, peer, and culturally driven faith influences as double-edged motivators and hindrances to help-seeking. Initial implications for community and college human services providers recommend mental health advocacy promotion through increased on-campus services visibility, off-campus resource accessibility, and culturally attuned collaborations.

Teaching mindfulness in prison settings: a grounded theory of strategies to promote engagement and empowerment

Article

Jan 2022

Mindfulness-based interventions have been increasingly recognized as a way to promote the mental health and well-being of individuals experiencing incarceration. However, little is known about the ways in which experienced mindfulness teachers who volunteer in correctional settings facilitate programming. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, this study explored the teaching practices of volunteers who currently facilitate mindfulness programs in correctional settings. A total of fifteen volunteer meditation teachers along with three former group members were interviewed. The researcher utilized interview data to construct a grounded theory which conceptualizes the systemic barriers volunteers and participants face, empowering facilitation strategies, and facilitator and group characters which impact the learning outcomes of participants. The results of this grounded theory illustrate culturally responsive mindfulness facilitation strategies counselors can use with individuals who are incarcerated. Suggestions for future research and implications are presented.

Effects of Yoga Prana Vidya intervention on psychological wellbeing and criminal attitude of under-trial prisoners

Research

Jan 2021

The Aim of the study was to find out how the Yoga Prana Vidya System is helpful as a therapy to transform the Psychological Wellbeing and criminal attitude of under-trial prisoners. The results of a 3 month intervention concluded significant improvements for the participants.

Sufi Non-Doing Offender Rehabilitation: Positive and Peacemaking Criminology in Practice

Article

Feb 2021
INT J OFFENDER THER

Offender rehabilitation is a challenging goal that calls for ongoing creative innovations. Amongst is a non-doing rehabilitative initiation that is inspired by spiritual traditions. The aim of this paper is to present an application of non-doing offender rehabilitation that has no declared intention to rehabilitate, carried by a peacemaking Islamic Sufi route. Based on the positive criminology approach, we conducted a qualitative phenomenological study consisted of interviews with 11 ex-prisoners who were employed in the Shadhiliyya-Yashrutiyya Sufi order as construction workers and also with 35 Sufi disciple and leaders. We identified five themes of non-doing: (1) atmosphere; (2) modeling; (3) social inclusion and suspension of judgement; (4) spiritual meaning; (5) feasibility of transformative processes. The discussion presents principles of a model of non-doing rehabilitation in a spiritual community and emphasizes the research innovation in presenting non-doing as a holistic method of inclusion within a transformative faith community.

Evaluating the Use of Mindfulness and Yoga Training on Forensic Inpatients: A Pilot Study

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2020

Forensic inpatients (i. e., individuals found not responsible for a criminal offense on account of mental illness) represent an often marginalized and difficult-to-treat population. This has led to the need for research exploring the effectiveness of novel interventions. A Canadian forensic hospital has developed an 8-weeks mindfulness and yoga training program (MTP). This pilot study examined the potential effects of this program on patients' mindfulness, stress, and use of cognitive and emotion regulation strategies. A sample of 13 forensic inpatients (male = 92%) participating in the MTP program completed self-report measures assessing dispositional mindfulness, perceived stress, and use of cognitive emotion regulation strategies at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-months follow-up. Repeated measure ANOVAs found a significant increase in the describe facet of mindfulness (p = 0.03) with a large effect size (ηp² = 0.26) and a significant decrease in stress (p = 0.003) with a large effect size (ηp² = 0.39). Pairwise comparisons revealed medium to large significant changes between baseline and post-intervention for both the describe facet (p = 0.03, Hedge's g = 0.55) and stress (p = 0.003, Hedge's g = 0.70). However, comparisons were insignificant between baseline and follow-up. No significant main effects were found on the use of cognitive emotion regulation strategies. This pilot study offers preliminary support for the use of the MTP as an adjunctive therapy in forensic inpatient treatment. Further investigation is needed into the long-term impacts of this training.

Inside Out: Change Through Art

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2020

Background: Over the past three decades, there has been a 900% increase in the number of women experiencing incarceration in Minnesota. We wished to test whether handwriting, as creative visual art expression for women in jail, would be a positive experience for them as well as for individuals viewing the artwork during expositions. Methods: Over a 2-year period, the principal artist invited women residents from four separate county jails in Minnesota, to handwrite their thoughts on a sheet of paper. Two hundred twenty-three women residents participated in the artist-led handwriting/visual art sessions and gave permission to use their authentic script, anonymously, for presentation in a 3-D visual art form. At the conclusion of the sessions, a survey was offered at each venue, which asked three questions relative to the participation in the handwriting art project: (1) Did it have a positive impact on me? (2) Would you recommend it to other women who are incarcerated? (3) Do you want to participate in more projects such as this during your incarceration? The resulting artwork of more than 1,000 sculptures, each exhibiting a portion of the women's original script, was displayed at several public showings and a survey was offered at each venue, which asked: (1) Did the exhibition increase awareness of mass incarceration of women? (2) Did it help the viewer see women who are incarcerated? (3) Did it make the viewer realize that action is needed to reduce incarceration of women? Survey questions were graded from 1 to 5, with a sliding scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Results: The impact of this project of art activism has been very positive on both participants and the larger audience. The vast majority of women residents responding to the survey either agreed or strongly agreed that their participation in the project (1) had a positive effect on them (94%), (2) would recommend it to other incarcerated women (94%), and (3) would want to participate in more projects such as this (93%). A total of 425 surveys were collected among the audience at several sites: the law school (N?=?87), open studios (N?=?268), and a public library (N?=?62). The vast majority of individuals responding to the survey either agreed or strongly agreed that the exhibited work (1) increased awareness of the problem (93%), (2) showed the humanity behind the script (88%), and (3) suggested that interventions were needed to address the problem (86%). Conclusions: Women under incarceration in county jails, who participated in a visual art handwriting program, as part of a collaborative visual art project led by principal artist, found great value in the sessions and agreed that such programs should be available to other women in detention. The overwhelming majority of the audience of the resulting exhibitions in public venues strongly agreed that interventions are needed to address the mass incarceration of women in Minnesota, suggesting the importance of art as a vehicle for increasing awareness about social problems and perhaps social change.

Negotiating of Self, the Social, and the Sacred in Recovery: A Lived Religion Perspective

Chapter

Full-text available

Apr 2020

The introduction to the volume first outlines the central theme of this book, which is the nexus between the self, the social, and that which someone deems sacred in religious conversion and recovery. The editors describe how the collection invites readers into a deeper exploration of the life of lived religion and how it functions to keep alive the possibility that underneath recovery processes is a transformative realm that might bring things back into a meaningful order. Thus, the introduction consists of an overview of existing research on spiritually based treatment and recovery movements, lived religion, and conversion, how these topics intersect, and how the chapters in this volume fit the overarching theme. Afterward, the editors outline the structure of the volume, briefly describing each chapter.

"We are Like Water in Their Hands" - experiences of imprisonment in Myanmar

Thesis

Full-text available

Mar 2020

Liv Stoltze Gaborit

Prisons are institutions through which states exert social control and deprive citizens of rights; where entitlements of citizens are limited to the bare minimum deemed acceptable to a given state. Therefore, prisons are institutions which reveal core aspects of the relation between a state and its citizens. In authoritarian regimes, as Myanmar was in a very recent past, prisons are places in which people are subjected to extreme punishments. In the postauthoritarian state of transition Myanmar is currently in, legacies of past regimes linger and show their face in various forms. By studying experiences of imprisonment, this study approaches experiences of subjects whose lives are under an intense state control. As it explores their experiences, it takes the temperature of the transition as it explores what changes have occurred and what legacies remain from past political regimes. Until recently, Myanmar was closed off to the world while under military dictatorship. For the last decade, however, major changes have occurred and a political space has opened up in which it has become possible for researchers to do empirical research within the country and in which the first ever prison research project could be launched. This dissertation is part of the project Legacies of Detention in Myanmar, which explores how practices in Myanmar prisons today are shaped by legacies from past regimes. This dissertation focuses its attention on those who have gone through prisons as it analyses experiences of imprisonment in Myanmar. To do so, it builds on 15 months of ethnographic fieldwork with former and current prisoners and an action research project conducted with four former political prisoners and photographers. The dissertation poses the research question: What experiences do prisoners in Myanmar go through and how are they affected by such experiences? This question is addressed through four publications. Paper I shows how penal practices of today are affected by legacies from the past through an ethnographic history of the practices concerned with fetters, convict officers, amnesties and torture. Paper II shows that access to experiences of imprisonment depend on other factors than physical access to prisons. Paper III shows that liminal experiences in prison can lead to positive development or suffering, depending on the presence or absence of guidance and communitas and on whether these experiences are forced or voluntarily. In doing so, it shows that solitary confinement represent structural violence, which can lead prisoners to become ‘unhinged’ from a sense of self and reality. Finally, Paper IV discusses the role of recognition in post-liminal re-integration of former prisoners and their opportunities to reestablish their lives after release. Through these papers and the synopsis surrounding them, the dissertation shows that prisoners go through liminal experiences which can affect them in various ways. Through theory on liminal experiences, the dissertation has identified inadequacies of prisons that make them inherently harmful institutions. Prisons represent forced liminal experiences, in some cases without the guidance of a master of ceremony and a communitas with whom to go through liminality. Furthermore, upon release, when prisoners are supposed to exit liminal experiences, the lack of proper post-liminal rituals that enable parity of participation through recognition, prevent prisoners from re-establishing their lives and becoming the lawabiding citizens prisons are supposed to mould them into. In addition, the empirical contribution on prisons in Myanmar shows that legacies from the authoritarian past are still practiced within prisons in Myanmar. As a prism on the state, the prison suggests that, while in transition, Myanmar has not completely left its authoritarian past behind. This suggest either a need for further reform if authoritarianism is to become a thing of the past, or itreveals a symptom of the shortcomings of the current disciplined democracy, which can lead to a return to authoritarianism in the future of Myanmar.

Barriers and facilitators of maintained smoking abstinence following release from smoke-free prisons: A qualitative enquiry

Article

Apr 2019
INT J DRUG POLICY

Background: The prevalence of smoking among people entering prisons is high. Despite increasing adoption of prison smoke-free policies, relapse to smoking after release from prison is nearly universal, and policy to effectively mitigate this is largely absent. Informed by a risk environment framework, we aimed to identify key barriers and facilitators to maintaining smoking abstinence among former smokers released from smoke-free prisons. Method: Twenty-one people released from smoke-free prisons in Queensland, Australia, were followed up from a larger survey of 114 former prisoners. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the perceived barriers and facilitators of maintained smoking abstinence. Findings: Identified barriers to continued abstinence included pre-release intention to resume smoking; normalisation of smoking in home or social environments, resumption of smoking as a symbolic act of freedom and resistance from and to a restrictive environment; a perception that smoking provides stress relief to their difficult lives, and the use of tobacco/smoking to cope with cravings experienced on release for illicit substances. A number of interviewees were unable to provide clear reflective reasons for relapse. For those who did manage to remain abstinent for a period of time, identified facilitators included an awareness of the health and financial benefits of smoking abstinence, the use of intrinsic motivation, distraction from nicotine cravings using alternative activities, and social support from family and peers. Discussion: Interventions promoting continued smoking abstinence among people exiting smoke-free prisons should focus on targeting the perceived individual- and environmental-level barriers to maintained smoking abstinence while simultaneously promoting perceived facilitators, so as to reduce smoking-related health and economic disparities in this marginalised population.

Spiritual Hygiene in Modern Times: An Investigation of Media Coverage of Meditation from 1979-2014

Chapter

Full-text available

Jan 2016

Sharon Lauricella

The application and adoption of four ‘third wave’ psychotherapies for mental health difficulties and aggression within correctional and forensic settings: A systematic review

Article

May 2019
AGGRESS VIOLENT BEH

Objective The prisoner population have substantially higher mental health needs than those reported in community samples. A number of third wave therapies have accrued varying levels of evidence in clinical and community samples for a range of psychological difficulties. Methods This review, using PRISMA guidelines, reviewed four third wave therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) and Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) and their respective effectiveness in addressing psychological difficulties and aggression for those incarcerated in a number of forensic settings. Results A total of nine studies were included in the review, 8 studies for ACT, 1 for CFT and none for MCT or FAP. The study provides very tentative evidence for the use of ACT with addiction issues and anger/aggression with a prisoner population but that this is significantly tempered by methodological shortcomings and small sample sizes. Conclusions ACT shows some potential promise as a treatment with a prisoner population but the general lack of methodologically sound studies greatly limits any conclusions that can be made. At present other treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and other third wave therapies, most notably, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) have accrued more evidence as a result of greater amount of research.

Love, Compassion and Therapeutic Communities in Homeboy Industries

Chapter

May 2018

Ross Deuchar

Following on directly from the previous chapter, in this chapter I share insights from participant observation of intervention strategies implemented within Homeboy Industries, Los Angeles. I draw on ethnographic fieldnotes to provide illustrations of the holistic culture within the organisation, and the nature and potential impact of coaching and mentoring strategies and group therapy sessions. In addition, insights from follow-up interviews and informal interactions with the male reforming gang members I described in the previous chapter illustrate the main factors that led to their motivation to engage with Homeboy Industries, and the perceived impact that it was having on them during the liminal phase (Healy in The dynamics of desistance: Charting pathways through change. Routledge, New York, 2012). Further, data gathered via semi-structured interviews with mentors, coaches and staff provide deeper insights into the ways—and extent to which—the structured programmes were providing an initial mechanism for changing perceptions about masculinity and nurturing greater commitment to criminal desistance.

Effect of continuing care for people with cocaine dependence on criminal justice sentences

Article

Feb 2018
BEHAV SCI LAW

While continuing care for substance use treatment has been associated with reduced involvement in the criminal justice system, much of this research lacks random assignment to continuing care and so is limited by self-selection bias. This study sought to determine the impact of adding telephone-based continuing care to intensive outpatient programs on criminal justice outcomes for people with cocaine dependence. In three continuing care studies, spanning 1998-2008, participants were randomly assigned to an intensive outpatient program or an intensive outpatient program plus a telephone-based continuing care intervention. Cocaine-dependent participants from these three studies were included in the analyses, with outcomes derived from a dataset of jurisdiction-wide criminal sentences from a state sentencing agency. Multiple logistic regression was employed to examine the odds of a criminal conviction occurring in the 4 years after enrollment in a continuing care study. The results showed that, controlling for a criminal sentence in the previous year, gender, age, and continuing care study, people with cocaine dependence randomized to an intensive outpatient program plus a telephone-based continuing care intervention had 54% lower odds (p = 0.05, odds ratio = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.20-1.02) of a criminal sentence in the 4 years after enrollment in the continuing care study, compared with those randomized to an intensive outpatient program alone. We can conclude that adding telephone monitoring and counseling to intensive outpatient programs is associated with fewer criminal convictions over a 4-year follow-up period compared with intensive outpatient programs alone.

Mesopredator Release Theory: Comparing Mesocarnivore Abundance and Prey Choices in an Urban Landscape and Impacts on Prey Populations

Article

Jun 2017

Melissa L Karlin

An historical review of racial bias in prison-based substance abuse treatment design

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2017

Erin Kerrison

This study leverages critical race and legal epidemiological frameworks to illustrate the race-based historical evolution of U.S. rehabilitation paradigms directed at imprisoned heroin and opioid users. What began as a racist early-20th-century federal antinarcotic trafficking effort has since assumed a state-based treatment agenda whose programmatic operations are largely based in correctional settings disproportionately reserved for poor substance abusers of color. Even in contemporary carceral facilities, where incarcerated populations are teeming with White addicts, in the aggregate, White drug abusers have been protected from the depraved, incorrigible, and inherently pathological drug-using caricature assigned to their non-White counterparts. This historical examination demonstrates how links between broader drug policy and prison-based drug treatment support a legally codified White supremacist narrative that erodes health and wellbeing for program participants of color, and the communities to which they inevitably return.

Prevalence and patterns of use of mantra, mindfulness and spiritual meditation among adults in the United States

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2017
BMC Compl Alternative Med

Background Despite a growing body of scientific literature exploring the nature of meditation there is limited information on the characteristics of individuals who use it. This is particularly true of comparative studies examining prevalence and predictors of use of various forms of meditation. Methods A secondary analysis was conducted using data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (n = 34,525). Three popular forms of meditation were compared—mantra, mindfulness, and spiritual—to determine lifetime and 12-month use related to key sociodemographic, health behavior, health status, and healthcare access variables. Results The 12-month prevalence for meditation practice was 3.1% for spiritual meditation, 1.9% for mindfulness meditation, and 1.6% for mantra meditation. This represents approximately 7.0, 4.3, and 3.6 million adults respectively. A comparison across the three meditation practices found many similarities in user characteristics, suggesting interest in meditation may be more related to the type of person meditating than to the type of practice selected. Across meditation styles use was more prevalent among respondents who were female, non-Hispanic White, college educated, physically active; who used other complementary health practices; and who reported depression. Higher utilization of conventional healthcare services was one of the strongest predictors of use of all three styles. In addition to similarities, important distinctions were observed. For example, spiritual meditation practice was more prevalent among former drinkers. This may reflect use of spiritual meditation practices in support of alcohol treatment and sobriety. Reasons for use of meditation were examined using the sample of respondents who practiced mindfulness meditation. Wellness and prevention (74%) was a more common reason than use to treat a specific health condition (30%). Common reasons for use included stress management (92%) and emotional well-being (91%), and to support other health behaviors. Meditation was viewed positively because it was self-care oriented (81%) and focused on the whole person (79%). Conclusion Meditation appears to provide an accessible, self-care resource that has potential value for mental health, behavioral self-regulation, and integrative medical care. Considering consumer preference for distinct types of meditation practices, understanding the underlying mechanisms, benefits, and applications of practice variations is important.

The Risk-Need-Responsivity Model Revisited: Using Biosocial Criminology to Enhance Offender Rehabilitation

Article

Jun 2017
CRIM JUSTICE BEHAV

During the past four decades, researchers and practitioners working in corrections have shifted from a “nothing works” to a “what works” orientation. Emphasizing the importance of adopting evidence-based interventions, Andrews and Bonta have argued that efforts to rehabilitate offenders should adhere to a number of specified principles of effective intervention, three of which—risk, need, and responsivity—are considered the most critical. These principles were derived from Andrews and Bonta’s theory of the psychology of criminal conduct, which underscores the necessity to link correctional practice to empirically defensible theories of offending. The vast majority of research has provided evidence of the effectiveness of the risk-need-responsivity model; however, far less attention has been given to expanding its theoretical foundation. Given the wealth of evidence supporting biosocial explanations of criminal behavior, we consider potential avenues for enhancing the risk-need-responsivity model through the integration of key findings from biosocial research.

Outcomes of Psychological Therapies for Prisoners With Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2017

Objective: Prisoners worldwide have substantial mental health needs, but the efficacy of psychological therapy in prisons is unknown. We aimed to systematically review psychological therapies with mental health outcomes in prisoners and qualitatively summarize difficulties in conducting randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Method: We systematically identified RCTs of psychological therapies with mental health outcomes in prisoners (37 studies). Effect sizes were calculated and meta-analyzed. Eligible studies were assessed for quality. Subgroup and metaregression analyses were conducted to examine sources of between-study heterogeneity. Thematic analysis reviewed difficulties in conducting prison RCTs. Results: In 37 identified studies, psychological therapies showed a medium effect size (0.50, 95% CI [0.34, 0.66]) with high levels of heterogeneity with the most evidence for CBT and mindfulness-based trials. Studies that used no treatment (0.77, 95% CI [0.50, 1.03]) or waitlist controls (0.71, 95% CI [0.43, 1.00]) had larger effect sizes than those that had treatment-as-usual or other psychological therapies as controls (0.21, 95% CI [0.01, 0.41]). Effects were not sustained on follow-up at 3 and 6 months. No differences were found between group and individual therapy, or different treatment types. The use of a fidelity measure was associated with lower effect sizes. Qualitative analysis identified difficulties with follow-up and institutional constraints on scheduling and implementation of trials. Conclusions: CBT and mindfulness-based therapies are modestly effective in prisoners for depression and anxiety outcomes. In prisons with existing psychological therapies, more evidence is required before additional therapies can be recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record

Meditation Programs

Chapter

Aug 2017

Erin Kerrison

Some contemporary correctional facilities offer one of three kinds of meditative programs: transcendental meditation, mindfulness‐based stress reduction, and in‐facility Vipassana retreats. These rehabilitative efforts are transformative and seek to develop individual‐based self‐mastery. Inmates and prison staff report that participation in meditation programs enhances positive emotional states, develops a mechanism through which individuals can manage psychologically negative emotions, and builds a platform upon which a person can recognize their agency and potential to integrate into prosocial spaces. Consequently, prison meditation programs enhance inmate health, prison personnel well‐being, and institutional order, and promote positive re‐entry outcomes.

Experiences of Loneliness: COVID-19 Versus Incarceration

Article

Jul 2022

As the world comes to terms with the realities surrounding COVID-19, media sources have likened quarantine experiences to that of incarceration. Individuals who have experienced incarceration and individuals who have experienced the incarceration of loved ones (LO), have already experienced periods of time apart. We are exploring the experiences of individuals who have some experience with incarceration; whether they were personally incarcerated, or they experienced the incarceration of a LO. Utilizing snowball sampling, a mixed methods survey was circulated on social media. Survey items included demographic information, questions about incarceration, issues related to COVID-19 quarantines, and the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Results follow similar patterns to previous studies. However, this unique population argues that COVID-19 quarantines are not the same as periods of incarceration. Similarly, future research and community agencies need to examine the unique needs of those who have experienced the incarceration of a loved one.

Reentry Readiness Among Women With Mental Health Conditions: Implications for Rehabilitation Counselors

Article

Jun 2022

The presence of mental health conditions increases vulnerability to unsuccessful reentry outcomes upon release from incarceration. Women with histories of mental health conditions make up a considerable proportion of the female correctional population. Rehabilitation counselors (RCs) are increasingly likely to support women with incarceration histories despite minimal research on correctional populations in the field. Reentry readiness is one area that could benefit from rehabilitation counseling professionals’ unique training. The construct of readiness has been associated with successful outcomes in a variety of contexts, including employment, education, and treatment. This study surveyed a sample of 123 women preparing for release from a state correctional facility to examine the relative contributions that perceived self-efficacy, optimism, and motivation to change have on reentry readiness, and whether the presence of a mental health condition made any further contributions. Results from the hierarchical regression analysis showed self-efficacy and optimism were significant contributors to perceived reentry readiness. The presence of a mental health condition made no further contributions. Implications for RCs working in reentry and/or with clients who have incarceration histories are discussed. Curriculum considerations for RC education programs are also explored.

Various Pathways for Cultivation of Equanimity: An Exploratory Study

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2022

Equanimity has been a highly valued spiritual goal in Buddhism, in the scriptures of the Bhagavad Gita and in Yoga traditions. Equanimity is a state of even-mindedness towards all experiences, regardless of their affective valence. The cultivation of equanimity may transform our perceptual-cognitive–emotional systems to widen our perspective on experience, increase distress tolerance and reduce habitual reactivity. The psychological literature has mainly focussed on mindfulness as the cultivation method of equanimity. However, there are various other indigenous pathways and methods for the cultivation of equanimity which this study aims to explore in detail. Thirty experts from various contemplative traditions such as yoga, meditation, Buddhism, and Indian Psychology were interviewed. Analysis of the interviews suggests various methods for the cultivation of equanimity such as practices facilitating awareness and openness towards experience, generative practices, various pathways of yoga and indirect pathways such as socio-emotional ethical learning, art and others. These techniques are elaborated separately for children and adults. Implications for practice: The implications of the cultivation of equanimity are discussed in context of holistic well-being, leadership practices and for the development of therapeutic models and techniques.

The Utility of Meditation and Mindfulness-Based Interventions in the Time of COVID-19: A Theoretical Proposition and Systematic Review of the Relevant Prison, Quarantine and Lockdown Literature

Article

Dec 2021

As of July 20, 2021, Covid-19 has killed 4,086,000 people, infected at least 190,169,833 others, and devastated the world’s economy. To slow the spread of the virus, numerous governments instituted “lockdown” policies and quarantines, limiting social interactions to the immediate household. The experience of isolation and uncertainty have contributed to increased fear, anxiety, and loneliness; with limited options of research-supported interventions. Although different in nature, the experiences of quarantine and lockdown have been likened to incarceration. Past research has found meditation and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) to be effective psychological treatments for prisoners and may therefore translate well into effective methods for the maintenance of psychological well-being for individuals quarantined during the pandemic. More recently, research investigating the effects of meditation and MBIs during the pandemic have demonstrated preliminary evidence for beneficial psychological improvements. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), the current narrative review paper: 1) examines the parallels and differences between the experience of quarantine and imprisonment, 2) investigates the mechanisms through which meditation and mindfulness enact their effects, and 3) systematically reviews literature on the benefits of various types of meditation and MBIs for inmates and individuals in lockdown or quarantine. With this knowledge, the public can garner applicable insight into the potential use of meditation and MBIs for individuals forced to cope with pandemic lockdowns and quarantines. Two hundred and twenty one (221) articles were identified through Pubmed and Google Scholar, and 24 articles were ultimately included in the manuscript.

Trauma-oriented recovery framework with offenders: A necessary missing link in offenders' rehabilitation

Article

Oct 2021
AGGRESS VIOLENT BEH

Research has shown that incarcerated individuals experience significantly higher rates of trauma prior to and during incarceration, compared with the general population. However, despite the rich evidence regarding traumatic backgrounds, and evidence of a link between trauma and (re)offending, trauma-informed practice among inmates, particularly among men, is still limited. The paucity of trauma-informed services among inmates may be due to the deeply polarized victimization and criminal paradigms, that ignore the empirical overlap between victims and offenders. Given this limitation, the aim of this article is to outline a Trauma-Orientated Recovery Framework (TORF) for offenders, by synergizing positive victimology with a positive criminology perspective. These holistic perspectives highlight the value of promoting personal, interpersonal, and spiritual integration. Accordingly, this practice framework outlines guidelines for formal and informal interventions, to achieve recovery and rehabilitation by promoting positive experiences such as self-compassion, family involvement, forgiveness, service to others, social support, recovery-oriented carceral environments, and spiritual growth. By providing a comprehensive framework, these guidelines target symptoms of multilevel trauma, and encourage the incarcerated individual to living a life worth living, in a bid to help them connect with community, and foster their spiritual growth, thereby making great strides toward addressing recidivism.

Uwarunkowania gotowości do resocjalizacji

Book

Full-text available

Apr 2021

Participation in a Yoga Study Decreases Stress and Depression Scores for Incarcerated Women

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2020

Incarcerated individuals exhibit a high incidence of stress-related disorders, including addiction and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as the added stress of captivity. Access to stress-reduction tools is limited for these individuals. One possible approach may be regular structured yoga classes. Using two approaches, we tested the effectiveness of a brief, intensive yoga intervention in a population of incarcerated women in a county jail. The first approach was an examination of archival data collected as part of a program analysis. Individuals showed considerable reduction in self-reported stress following a single yoga session. The second approach was an experimental study using a week-long yoga intervention. Thirty-four participants were assigned to either the yoga or control group for the first week. In the second week, the conditions were reversed. Participants were assessed weekly, before and after intervention. Baseline scores revealed high rates of depression, stress, and exposure to traumatic life events compared to normative data. Stress and depression were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale and Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. Compared to controls, participants reported less depression after a week of daily yoga sessions. Perceived stress declined under both control and yoga conditions. Due to the transient nature of the jail institution, it is important to examine interventions that can be provided on a short-term basis. Although there were limitations in this study, the results support the conclusion that the brief yoga intervention had a positive effect on participants’ well-being.

Nurse-led mind-body relaxation intervention in prison: A multiperspective mixed-method evaluation

Article

Jul 2020
NURS OUTLOOK

Background Mind-body relaxation techniques are complementary or alternative to medication to manage high stress and anxiety levels in prisons. Purpose To assess the motivation to attend and perceived benefits of a nurse-led group relaxation intervention in prison, investigate the experience of participants, prison officers, and health professionals, and identify improvements. Method Exploratory study was conducted in a post-trial facility in Switzerland using a multiperspective convergent parallel mixed method drawing from participatory action research principles. Findings Reasons for attendance included back problems, mental tension, physical fitness, relaxation, and sleep problems. Perceived benefits comprised autonomy in self-practice, decreased physical tensions and anxiety, and improvement of sleep and physical fitness. Qualitative findings converged highlighting the importance of body-centering, relaxation as an alternative to medication, negative representations about relaxation sessions (useless, effeminate), and recommendations for improvement, including audio-visual support for self-practice. Discussion Long-standing mind-body relaxation interventions led by nurses in groups may offer participants a beneficial and operationally feasible complement to stress management in prisons.

Tacit Conversion: A Linguistic Analysis of a Vipassana Meditator’s Narrative of Self-Transformation

Chapter

Apr 2020

Masoumeh Rahmani

S. N. Goenka’s global Vipassana movement is one of the most successful organizations offering Buddhist meditation as a self-development tool to the public, and a “rehabilitating tool” to prison inmates. This movement is distinguished for its consistent refusal to identify as “religious”/ Buddhist and its rich rhetorical repertoire for repackaging Theravada Buddhist teachings in pseudo-scientific and secular language. Seeing conversion as a process that is constituted in language, this chapter argues that conversion to this movement is tacit and paradoxically results in the members’ rejection of religious labels and categories including conversion.

A randomized clinical trial of motivational interviewing plus skills training vs. Relaxation plus education and 12-Steps for substance using incarcerated youth: Effects on alcohol, marijuana and crimes of aggression

Article

Dec 2019

Background: Motivational Interviewing plus Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MI/CBT) has been used to reduce adolescent substance use, but has rarely been applied in youth correctional settings. This trial compared MI/CBT against Relaxation Training plus Substance-Education/12-Steps (RT/SET) to reduce substance use and crime among incarcerated youth. Methods: Participants (N = 199) were incarcerated juveniles (64.8 % non-White, 10.1 % girls, mean age of 17.1 years). Two individual sessions of MI (or RT) were followed by 10 group sessions of CBT (or SET). Youth were randomized to condition with follow-ups at 3- and 6-months after release. Major outcomes included alcohol, marijuana and crimes involving aggression. Results: A marginal treatment by time interaction was found for percent heavy drinking days, with follow-up tests indicating less alcohol use in RT/SET than MI/CBT at 6 months, and increased use within MI/CBT from 3 to 6 months. A significant treatment by time interaction was found for alcohol-related predatory aggression, with follow-up tests indicating fewer youth engaged in this behavior from 3 to 6 months within RT/SET, and weak evidence favoring MI/CBT over RT/SET at 3 months. General predatory aggression decreased from 3 to 6-months for both treatments. Conclusions: Although weak evidence was found favoring MI/CBT with respect to alcohol-related predatory aggression, results generally support RT/SET in reducing percent heavy drinking days.

Comparing the effectiveness of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment and combined therapy of these two methods on emotion dysregulation in adolescents with Substance use disorders

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2019

Objective: The aim of the study was to comparing the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation, mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment and combined therapy of these two methods on emotion dysregulation in adolescents with Substance use disorders. Method: The present study is a quasi-experimental with pre-test, post-test and follow-up. Eighty adolescents (18-21 age) with substance abuse disorders were selected from adolescent camps under the supervision of the Ardabil Welfare Organization in 2018 according to including and excluding criteria and were selected and randomly divided into four groups: of transcranial direct current stimulation (n=20), mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment (n=20), combination therapy (n=20) and control group (n=20). The instruments used were Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Data analysis was performed using mixed analysis of variance with repeated measures in SPSS 22. Results: Results showed that all interventions (i.e., tDCS, MBSAT, Combination therapy) were significantly different compared to the control group. However, combination therapy had a larger effect size to reduced emotion dysregulation in adolescents with Substance use disorders (p<./05). Conclusion: Combined effects affirm that tDCS has more beneficial and durable therapeutic effects when combined with psychological interventions. Keywords: : Emotion Dysregulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, Mindfulness, Adolescents

A Pilot Study of A Meditation Mindfulness Program with Detained Juveniles: An Adaptation of Inner Resources for Teens (IRT)

Article

Oct 2019

This study examined the clinical utility of a meditation, mindfulness, and mantra intervention for youth experiencing serious mental illness while incarcerated. Participants were 17 adolescent males, aged 16 to 18, from two units of a county detention center in the San Francisco Bay Area. Eleven (64.7%) participants were Latino-American, one (5.9 %) was Black/African American, three (17.6 %) were Caucasian-American, one (5.9%) was Asian-American and one (5.9%) self-identified as “other/mixed race.” The intervention consisted of a four-session adaptation of the Inner Resources for Teens (IRT) manualized intervention, designed to teach and practice skills for developing sustained mindfulness. Participants completed the intervention over a four-week period, attending one hour per week. They were asked to practice the techniques for ten minutes a day. Participants were assessed using the Child Acceptance and Mindfulness Measure (CAMM) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, and immediate post-treatment. Intent-to-treat analyzes found statistically significant reductions in global severity (d = − 0.44), positive symptoms distress (d = − 0.54), obsessive compulsive symptoms (d = − 0.65), paranoid ideation (d = − 0.49), and psychoticism (d = − 0.71). Positive symptoms, somatization, depression, hostility, and mindfulness non-significantly improved with small effect sizes. These findings suggest that IRT may improve symptoms of mental illness among youth in detention facilities.

A Mixed-Methods Process Evaluation of the Art of Yoga Project for Girls in Custody

Article

Jul 2019

Many adolescent girls in custody have extensive histories of profound childhood trauma and abuse. They typically come from marginalized communities marked with gang violence. The Art of Yoga Project provides a gender-specific, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive approach to cater to this understudied and underserved population. The Yoga and Creative Arts Curriculum combines yoga, mindfulness, meditation, and art for girls in custody in several Californian counties. The findings are from a mixed methods evaluation of multiple sites over several years. Taken together, we saw an improvement in the self-reported emotional regulation of incarcerated girls. We discuss practical implications for extending this work in other jurisdictions and to other populations.

Introduction to the Special Issue: Art and Mindfulness Behind Bars

Article

Jul 2019

Jill Rosenbaum

Engaging in art and mindfulness activities has been found to have numerous positive effects on individuals regardless of age or setting. In recent years there have been an increased number of these programs finding their way into the correctional system. Research indicates that there are multiple benefits for individuals who are incarcerated that engage in these activities. The purpose of this volume is to highlight some of the successful implementations of art and mindfulness programs within the criminal justice system. The authors included in this issue represent a variety of disciplines from both the social sciences and arts in order to develop multidisciplinary understanding, discussion and potential collaboration.

Trening uważności w oddziaływaniach resocjalizacyjnych. Kontekst teoretyczny

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2019

Maciej Muskała

Mimo dużej popularności i skuteczności oddziaływań opartych na koncepcjach kognitywno – behawioralnych w pracy z osadzonymi, poszukuje się innowacyjnych interwencji, które ułatwiłyby proces odchodzenia od przestępczości i zmniejszyły odsetek powrotności na drogę przestępstwa. Te nowe dociekania określa się mianem trzeciej generacji/fali terapii kognitywno-behawioralnych. Istnieje kilka głównych, ugruntowanych empirycznie, metod terapeutycznych mieszczących się w tym nurcie, a wśród nich będące przedmiotem niniejszego opracowania, te oparte na uważności. Celem niniejszego opracowania jest właśnie przedstawienie możliwości i potencjalnych korzyści z zastosowania mindfulness w pracy z osadzonymi. W artykule dokonano analizy teoretycznej, jak i przeglądu badań nad skutkami stosowania tego typu programów oddziaływania w populacji osób odbywających karę pozbawienia wolności, wskazując na kilka obszarów gdzie ich zastosowanie wydaje się ze wszech miar uzasadnione i co ważne, potwierdzone empirycznie.

Can Mindfulness Make Prison a Healthier Place?: The Translation of Evidence-Based Practices to Correctional Settings

Chapter

Nov 2018

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) of various sorts—faith-based, secular, and clinical—have found increasing popularity in prison settings over the past four decades. The past two decades have seen exponential growth in the clinical application of MBIs for the treatment of various psychological disorders altogether and increasing application for offender treatment. Mindfulness training has been broadly defined as cultivating present moment awareness of sensory experience along with attitudinal qualities like openness, curiosity, nonjudgment, equanimity, empathy, and compassion. Researchers have validated the efficacy of MBIs like MBSR, DBT, ACT, MBCT, and MBRP in reducing distressing symptomatology associated with both physical illness and psychological disorders. Research has also demonstrated various salutary impacts of mindfulness training, including improvements in cognitive and emotional balance, impulse control, immune response, and overall health and well-being. Neuroscientific investigations employing various types of brain imaging demonstrate mindfulness training’s potential to positively alter the brain’s neural structures and promote healthy brain function. In particular, clinically applied MBIs show great promise for treating disorders common to prison populations like addiction, depression, dual diagnosis, and aggressive personality disorder. This chapter will review the research on the clinical applications of mindfulness and explore both existing and potential applications of MBIs in correctional settings across three categories of prevalent offender issues and needs, including (1) aggression, violence, and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), (2) substance abuse and addiction, and (3) depression, mental illness, and dual diagnosis. The emerging application of MBIs designed to improved wellness and resilience in corrections professionals will also be discussed.

Religious and Spiritual Desistance From Gangs

Chapter

May 2018

Ross Deuchar

In this chapter, I explore the evidence that suggests that religious and/or spiritual engagement can support masculinity identity reconstruction among offenders in such a way as to stimulate the desistance process. The process of faith conversion and the emergence of redemption scripts (Maruna in Making good: How ex-convicts reform and rebuild their lives. American Psychological Association, Washington DC, 2001) is critically analysed, and I consider the potential salience of the way in which faith-based contexts may enhance some men’s ability to publically project stories of change about their values, attitudes and priorities. I also examine the existing insights that suggest that engagement in wider, more holistic spiritual practices may also play a role in the type of identity and behaviour change that stimulates progression towards desistance.

Youth, Education, and Brain Development

Chapter

Jun 2017

Laura Chioda

Using Biosocial Criminology to Understand and Improve Treatment Outcomes

Article

Aug 2017
CRIM JUSTICE BEHAV

Jamie C. Vaske

Research has extensively cataloged the types of interventions that prevent and treat antisocial behavior across the life course. Despite our knowledge of which interventions “work,” there is a limited understanding of why these practices are effective and who does (or does not) benefit from traditional evidence-based practices (EBPs). The current study reviews the literature on the biopsychological mechanisms and moderators of EBPs across the life course, and it provides recommendations to clinicians and program developers based on these findings. The literature typically shows that EBPs may reduce antisocial behavior because these programs alter clients’ biological systems responsible for stress response and self-regulation. Similarly, individuals who receive fewer benefits from EBPs have weaker stress responses, difficulty processing punishment, increased reward sensitivity, and problems with attention, self-regulation, and cognitive flexibility. The implications of these findings are discussed for each stage of the life course.

Spirituality and Meditative Practice: Research Opportunities and Challenges

Article

Mar 2017

Meditative practices have a long history in India and have influenced contemporary meditative programs elsewhere in the world. Over the last several decades, the use of meditation as a therapeutic tool has been investigated in regard to physical, emotional and behavioral effects with impressive results. In parallel to this has been a growing interest in research on spirituality, spiritual growth, and therapeutic modalities that incorporate the spiritual dimension of the person. Ironically, very little research has explored the interface between these two constructs, despite how closely linked they are traditionally. This paper addresses the range of ways in which spirituality and spiritual development might be fruitfully investigated in the context of meditative practice, bringing further understanding to both psychological constructs. Furthermore, the widely recognized significance of both meditative and spiritual experiences suggests that cross-cultural research may be particularly valuable at identifying factors that engage the universal human capacity of spirituality, and the particular potential for meditative practice in doing so.

Walpole Study of the Transcendental Meditation Program in Maximum Security Prisoners III

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2003

Part III of the Walpole Prison Study builds on the earlier longitudinal and cross-sectional findings in Parts I and II that reported reduced psychopathology and accelerated psychological development in members of the Transcendental Meditation prison program. Part III is a retrospective investigation of recidivism among 286 inmates released from Walpole prison, who were followed for up to 59 months. The sample comprised all subjects from the following sources who had been released six months prior to data collection: (a) all inmates who had learned the TM program at Wal-pole; (b) random samples of four other prison programs at Walpole (counseling, drug rehabilitation, Christian, and Muslim); (c) a random sample of the Walpole inmate population; and (d) subjects who were tested longitudinally in the prior Walpole studies. The rate of return to prison for a stay of 30 days or more was 32% among inmates who practiced the TM technique compared to 48% for a combined control group comprised of members of four other prison programs. This represented a proportionate reduction in recidivism of 33%, which was statistically significant (p = .042). Separate comparisons showed that the TM group also had lower reincarceration rates than each of the four other programs, with proportionate reductions in recidivism ranging from 29% to 42% (p = .007 to .073). In addition, the TM group compared to all non-meditating subjects had a lower rate of reincarceration due to new convictions (47% lower, proportionately; p = .045) and a 27% proportionately lower rate of reincarceration/warrant for arrest (p = .069). The pattern of reduced recidivism for TM program members was maintained in multiple regression analyses, controlling for background and release variables (e.g., parole vs. full discharge, institution of release, drug history). These findings are consistent with the proposition that the reduced psychopathology and accelerated psychological development resulting from the TM program are responsible for reductions in criminal behavior.

Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation Program in Criminal Rehabilitation and Substance Abuse Recovery

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2003

Mark A. Hawkins

This article reviews research on the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program relevant to the treatment and prevention of criminal behavior and substance abuse. Over the past 30 years, 39 studies have been conducted on the rehabilitative effects of the TM program. These studies have involved various populations, including at-risk youths, participants in treatment programs, and incarcerated offenders. A few studies examined the effects of the TM program in the general population on use of alcohol, cigarettes, and non-prescribed drugs. Longitudinal, random-assignment studies with objective measures confirm the results of retrospective studies and other earlier research. Incarcerated offenders show rapid positive changes in risk factors associated with criminal behavior, including anxiety, aggression, hostility, moral judgment, in-prison rule infractions, and substance abuse. The substance abuse studies, taken together, indicate that the TM program reduces substance use as well as a number of the risk factors that underlie substance dependence, particularly anxiety, depression, neuroticism, and other forms of psychological distress. The TM program also produces a wide range of improvements in psychophysiological well-being, as indicated by better psychological health, enhanced auto-nomic functioning, and improved neuroendocrine balance. The changes in psychological health appear significant for long-term outcomes, as indicated by the lower recidivism rates for parolee practitioners of the TM technique and lower relapse rates for addicts. As a whole, these studies indicate that practice of the TM technique is an effective approach to rehabilitation for individuals prone to criminal behaviors and addictions.

Walpole Study of the Transcendental Meditation Program in Maximum Security Prisoners I: Cross-Sectional Differences in Development and Psychopathology

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2003

Effective rehabilitation of repeat offenders is a way to prevent crime. The Transcendental Meditation (TM)1 program is an especially promising approach to offender rehabilitation because evidence indicates that this program promotes improvements in both mental and physical health that support law-abiding behavior. The present cross-sectional study of 160 maximum-security prisoners at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution, Walpole, is a multifaceted comparison of differences in self-development and psychopathology between the TM group and various control groups.

Reforming punishment: Psychological limits to the pains of imprisonment. The law and public policy.

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2006

Craig Haney

In Reforming Punishment: Psychological Limits to the Pains of Imprisonment, author Craig Haney argues that the United States has pursued fundamentally flawed prison policies that have crossed the line from imposing punishment to doing real harm. His carefully reasoned argument suggests that--by ignoring the social contextual causes of crime and minimizing the potentially harmful effects of imprisonment itself--these policies not only cause undue pain to the imprisoned but ultimately increase crime. Today the United States imprisons more people than any other nation. Its prisons are overcrowded, contain unprecedented numbers of mentally ill and nonviolent prisoners, and grossly overrepresent minorities. Too many prison systems still do too little to provide meaningful programming and other forms of effective rehabilitation. Yet adverse conditions can cause prisoners to adapt to the pains of imprisonment in ways that are problematic while they are imprisoned and dysfunctional after they are released. In this critical and incisive but theoretically and empirically based analysis, Haney examines the key psychological issues at the heart of these problems. He uses modern psychological theory not only to challenge current prison practices but also to point to ways psychologists, policymakers, and others can help create a more effective and humane justice system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Mindfulness Training as a Clinical Intervention: A Conceptual and Empirical Review

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2003

Ruth Baer

Interventions based on training in mindfulness skills are becoming increasingly popular. Mindfulness involves intentionally bringing one's attention to the internal and external experiences occurring in the present moment, and is often taught through a variety of meditation exercises. This review summarizes conceptual approaches to mind-fulness and empirical research on the utility of mindfulness-based interventions. Meta-analytic techniques were incorporated to facilitate quantification of findings and comparison across studies. Although the current empirical literature includes many methodological flaws, findings suggest that mindfulness-based interventions may be helpful in the treatment of several disorders. Methodologically sound investigations are recommended in order to clarify the utility of these interventions.

Mindfulness Meditation and Substance Use in an Incarcerated Population

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2006

Despite the availability of various substance abuse treatments, alcohol and drug misuse and related negative consequences remain prevalent. Vipassana meditation (VM), a Buddhist mindfulness-based practice, provides an alternative for individuals who do not wish to attend or have not succeeded with traditional addiction treatments. In this study, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of a VM course on substance use and psychosocial outcomes in an incarcerated population. Results indicate that after release from jail, participants in the VM course, as compared with those in a treatment-as-usual control condition, showed significant reductions in alcohol, marijuana, and crack cocaine use. VM participants showed decreases in alcohol-related problems and psychiatric symptoms as well as increases in positive psychosocial outcomes. The utility of mindfulness-based treatments for substance use is discussed.

TM: Some Preliminary Findings

Article

Jul 1976

Social Integration and Certain Corollaries: An Exploratory Study

Article

Dec 1956

Leo Srole

The abstract for this document is available on CSA Illumina.To view the Abstract, click the Abstract button above the document title.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Massachusetts Correctional Facilities

Article

Jun 2007

Mindfulness-based stress-reduction courses were offered in drug units in six Massachusetts Department of Corrections prisons. A total of 1,350 inmates completed the 113 courses. Evaluation assessments were held before and after each course, and highly significant pre- to post-course improvements were found on widely accepted self-report measures of hostility, self-esteem, and mood disturbance. Improvements for women were greater than those for men, and improvements were also greater for men in a minimum-security, pre-release facility than for those in four medium-security facilities. The results encourage further study and wider use of mindfulness-based stress reduction in correctional facilities.

Transcendental Meditation and Rehabilitation At Folsom PrisonResponse to a Critique

Article

Mar 1979
CRIM JUSTICE BEHAV

The article responds to the challenge posed that findings by Abrams and Siegel on the TM Program at Folsom State Prison resulted from Rosenthal, experimental bias, effects, and that the data was parsimoniously interpreted by the authors. The authors noted that Rosenthal effects are not so pervasive that in every possible instance promising treatments should be discounted. Moreover, EPI Lie Scale data indicate that, if anything, the treatment reduced the inmates' modest tendency to make socially desirable, untrue responses. No consistent relations between levels of Lie Scale and criterion variables were found in a meta-analysis of the data. In conclusion, the potential cost effectiveness of the program, which was questioned by the critic, was supported by an analysis of preliminary recidivism rates of discharged participants.

The Transcendental Meditation(R) Program and Rehabilitation At Folsom State Prison: A Cross-Validation Study

Article

Mar 1978
CRIM JUSTICE BEHAV

The effects of the Transcendental Meditation program in a maximum security prison were studied via cross-validation design. Each of two experiments involved the pre- and postmeasurement of a treatment and a control group with a 14-week treatment interval. All subjects were administered the Eysenck Personality Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, and a survey of sleep patterns and smoking habits. Parallel significant differences between the Transcendental Meditation and control groups across all the inventories were found via MANCOVAs, indicating reduction in anxiety, neuroticism, hostility, and insomnia as a function of the treatment.

Effects of the Transcendental Meditation Program on Recidivism Among Former Inmates of Folsom Prison

Article

Aug 2003

This study examined recidivism rates over a 15-year period among former inmates who learned the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program at a maximum security prison in California. Recidivism outcomes for participants in the TM program were compared with those of matched controls using survival analysis, a general statistical technique for analysis of failure processes. With recidivism defined as rearrest leading to felony conviction, the TM group had a 46.7% recidivism rate during the follow-up period compared to 66.7% for the controls. Survival analysis, using a variety of statistical models and controlling for 22 demographic and criminal background variables, showed that this decrease was statistically significant. Survival analysis based on the Cox regression model indicated that risk of recidivism was reduced by 43.5% (p = .0008). The most appropriate model for the data was found to be a split population Weibull model allowing for immunity to relapse. This model indicated that 58.1% of the TM group versus 73.7% of the control group would eventually re-offend (p = .01). These long-term differences in recidivism outcomes between groups remained significant while covarying for salient factor scores (a predictive index of recidivism risk), age at first arrest, and participation in prison education and group therapy programs. Moreover, the split population survival model indicated that the TM program resulted in permanent rehabilitation, rather than merely delaying the onset of re-offending. A measure of severity of re-offending also was lower for the TM group compared to controls (p = .023). Furthermore, TM subjects who also took group therapy showed a total effect size for reduction of recidivism that was greater than the sum of effect sizes for subjects with TM alone and group therapy alone-a synergistic effect. These results indicate that lasting rehabilitation can be achieved using the TM program. Further, the results indicate the TM program can be used to advantage with certain other rehabilitation programs and may enhance their effectiveness.

First Prison Study Using the Transcendental Meditation Program

Article

Aug 2003

This repeated-measures study investigated effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique on physiological and psychological variables in 17 prison inmates. After practicing the technique for 2 months, inmates showed increased stability of the autonomic nervous system, as indicated by fewer spontaneous skin resistance responses (SSRR), p < .001. They also showed reductions in rigidity, obsessive thoughts, and compulsive behavior, as indicated by two scales on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), decreased Psychasthenia (MMPI scale 7, p < .025), and decreased Social Introversion (MMPI scale 10, p < .05). Regularity of practice correlated significantly with the percentage decrease in SSRR (r = .74, N = 12, p < .01). In turn, decreased SSRR correlated with decreased Psychasthenia (r = .68, p < .025). This correlation between increasing stability of the autonomic nervous system and reductions in rigid or obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior is consistent with studies in other populations. The results of the present study suggest the Transcendental Meditation program improves integrated function of the frontal lobes of the brain in a manner useful in rehabilitating offenders.

Cost Savings from Teaching the Transcendental Meditation Program in Prisons

Article

Aug 2003

David L. Magill

This paper quantifies cost savings to correctional systems and to society resulting from implementation of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program. Based on results from studies at several maximum-security prisons, including Folsom and San Quentin in California and Walpole in Massachusetts, up to 56% fewer inmates are convicted of new crimes when they are released after beginning the TM program. Furthermore, practitioners of this program are returned to prison up to 45% less often for parole violations or any other reason. These and other effects described in this paper allow the TM program to lower costs. Savings are projected to arise from: (a) reduced recidivism, (b) reduced medical expenses, (c) a more manageable prison environment, (d) improved quality of life for staff, and (e) a reduced crime rate for society. Conservatively, the overall ratio of program cost to total savings is estimated at 1 to 10, with 46% of savings accruing to the correctional system and 54% to the general public. Total savings over 5 years for every 1,000 inmates and 100 correctional officers instructed is estimated at $31.6 million. These projections imply that instructing a substantial fraction of the 6 million people under correctional supervision in the United States would lead to savings in the tens of billions of dollars.

The Transcendental Meditation Program and Criminal Recidivism in California

Article

Dec 1987
J CRIM JUST

A sample of 259 male felon parolees of the California Department of Corrections (CDC) who had voluntarily learned the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique while incarcerated had more favorable parole outcomes than statewide CDC parolees (p <.004). By comparison to matched controls, the TM group also had consistently more favorable outcomes as determined from rap sheets from one to five years after parole (p ⩽.05). Finally, with twenty-eight social and criminal history variables controlled by stepwise multiple regression, TM significantly (p <.001) reduced recidivism (with partial correlations ranging from r = -0.0893 to -0.1226) at one year and at 0.5 to 6.0 years after parole, whereas prison education, vocational training, and psychotherapy did not consistently reduce recidivism. Fifty-nine percent of not-yet-released meditators surveyed in prison were still meditating up to seven years after instruction, and TM recidivists were significantly (p <.002) less regular in meditation than the not-yet-released meditators, suggesting that regular TM practice is important for reducing recidivism. Despite the limitations of the retrospective study design, these results all indicate a reduction in recidivism due to TM practice that is of practical significance.

PTSD Symptoms, Substance Use, and Vipassana Meditation Among Incarcerated Individuals

Article

Jun 2007

The present study evaluated whether Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptom severity was associated with participation and treatment outcomes comparing a Vipassana meditation course to treatment as usual in an incarcerated sample. This study utilizes secondary data. The original study demonstrated that Vipassana meditation is associated with reductions in substance use. The present study found that PTSD symptom severity did not differ significantly between those who did and did not volunteer to take the course. Participation in the Vipassana course was associated with significantly greater reductions in substance use than treatment as usual, regardless of PTSD symptom severity levels. These results suggest that Vipassana meditation is worthy of further study for those with comorbid PTSD and substance use problems.

Meditation research: The state of the art

R Walsh

Meditation Research: The State of the Art in Correctional Settings

Abstract

No full-text available

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