This article reviews the literature concerning self-injury among criminal offenders. It describes many of the problems, barriers, and obstacles to effective assessment and treatment of self-injury and discusses the absence of a clear paradigm within which to develop a classification system and standardized nomenclature to describe the spectrum of self-injurious behaviors. This article distinguishes between self-injury resulting from suicidal versus nonsuicidal intent, presents treatment strategies for managing each, and concludes with a proposed set of eight recommended goals for creating a national strategy to develop self-injury programming in correctional settings.
Nationally, correctional psychologists are being asked to use behavioral telehealth interventions with mentally ill inmates. Beyond anecdotal stories, no information is available on which inmates might be best suited for such interventions. This article examines inmates' (N = 75) satisfaction with telehealth consultations, reporting initial satisfaction with the consultation process, more comfort with the process over time, and a willingness to return for follow-up. Inmates with thought disorders and inmates with mood disorders were satisfied with telehealth, but difficulties were noted when inmates became frustrated and angry. These difficulties may be accommodated by technological upgrades and spending more time preparing inmates for consultation.Although most psychologists in corrections have heard about behavioral telehealth-the use of telecommunications and information technology to provide behavioral health services (Nickelson, 1998}-few have practiced it. Those who have, however, are beginning to ask for a delineation and refinement of the potential benefits. More specifically, they wish to understand which patients respond best to this mode of service delivery and under what
This article describes a collaborative pilot project between the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Joint (Departments of Justice and Defense) Program Steering Group that seeks to determine the benefit of telehealth in a corrections environment. This pilot project is currently being conducted between a hub site in Lexington, Kentucky, and remote sites in Allenwood and Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Results to date are consistent with previous literature and suggest a high level of patient acceptance of this technology and mode of service delivery. The particular advantages of telehealth for correctional settings, including increased access to the full range of psychology services for inmates, the maintenance of institutional security, increased access to the inmate population for research purposes, and professional consultation for correctional psychologists are discussed.
A survey of 497 interns, residents, and psychologists indicated general satisfaction with their career choices and training. A majority of respondents (about 68%) desired more training in career/workplace issues and 44% wanted additional training in the biological bases of behavior. Some believed that the financial and time commitments needed to become a psychologist might outweigh the long-term benefits. Limitations of the study including low sample size were discussed. Results were also discussed in terms of abbreviating the current training curriculum to maintain competitiveness in the workplace, and in terms of the costs versus benefits of becoming psychologists.
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