Intersecting Experiences of Mental Health and Imprisonment

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

Unprecedented numbers of people with mental health conditions are now incarcerated and incidents of self-harm and suicide are increasing alongside rates of imprisonment. The prison environment can have a significant detrimental effect on this already vulnerable group. However, very little direction has been taken from the personal experiences of these individuals and how best to support them within carceral settings. Most prison research focuses on the general prison population, and most are conducted by clinicians and thus from a medical perspective whereby only those with recognisable and/or severe symptoms are identified while many other prisoners’ needs remain unaddressed because they fall below diagnostic thresholds. For policy and practice, by exploring personal experiences of incarceration directly from those experiencing mental distress/mental health conditions, this research aims to understand the barriers these people face, how they adjust to challenges of being in prison as well as how they access and perceive the support that is made available to them. Ultimately, this project will draw together mental wellness and prison sociology in a new way that can provide the refined understanding which is required for improving the care offered to those who struggle with experiences of mental health during imprisonment.

Author

• Teresa Brasio-McLaughlin, University of Glasgow