J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2013 Nov;52(6):454-462.

Mental Health Status of Prisoners in Correctional Institutions

• Park JI
• Kim YJ
• Lee SJ

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to identify mental health state of prisoners in correctional institutions and to develop strategies for improvement of the environment related to it.
METHODS
This research included a total of 1700 inmates from three out of 50 prisons nationwide; Symptom Checklist-90-Revision (SCL-90-R), State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Korean Version of the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, and cut down, annoy, guilty, eye-opener were applied. Additional questionnaires were employed for investigation of inmates' experience of violence within the correctional facilities and to examine utilization of mental health service before and after their admission to correctional facilities.
RESULTS
Fifteen percent of the participants attained SCL-90-R T-scores of 65 or higher, which suggested that these individuals had, or were at great risk of, mental illness. As the level of anger felt by the prisoners turned out to be lower than expected, BDI scores of 22 and higher were observed in 28.1% of the inmates, and 33.6% of the prisoners had suicidal ideation. In addition, 39.1% of the total inmates were diagnosed with alcohol abuse. Twenty-one percent of the prisoners were victimized in their correctional institutions; therefore, violence may be one of the potential factors leading to stress. However, only a small percentage of the inmates requested and received counseling as a help.
CONCLUSION
Mental health state among prisoners was serious and undesirable. This finding emphasizes the dire need for a system for regular assessment and improvement.

Keyword

Correctional institution; Prisoner; Mental health

MeSH Terms

Alcoholism
Anger
Counseling
Depression
Humans
Mental Health Services
Mental Health*
Prisoners*
Prisons*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Suicidal Ideation
Suicide
Violence

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