Adjustment to short-term imprisonment under low prison staffing

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Sociology
• Psychology

Background:

• Understanding the prisoner experience is crucial for effective correctional facility management.
• Low staffing levels in prisons can significantly impact the daily lives and psychological well-being of inmates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the subjective experience of prisoners during the early stages of incarceration in a low-staffing environment.
• To analyze how reduced staff-to-prisoner ratios influence the rehabilitative climate within a correctional facility.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews with 130 prisoners shortly after reception and again 3-4 weeks later.
• Grounded theory analysis of verbatim responses to explore the core prisoner experience.

Main Results:

• The primary experience identified was 'routine,' characterized by repetitive daily activities and work, with minimal connection to the outside world.
• This routine was passively resolved, leading to feelings of boredom and 'entrapment' among prisoners.

Conclusions:

• The observed 'routine' and 'entrapment' share similarities with 'institutionalism' documented in historical mental health settings.
• Findings suggest that reduced staff levels may negatively affect the rehabilitative climate, contrasting with prior research indicating positive outcomes under higher staff ratios.