Clinical practice in corrections: Providing service, obtaining experience.

Abstract

Clinical practice experiences involving the delivery of psychological services in correctional and forensic settings can improve quality of care for underserved populations. The systematic study of how and where these experiences are obtained is also an integral yet empirically unexplored aspect of developing a workforce uniquely qualified for clinical practice in corrections. This study examines the clinical services provided by psychological practicum students to offenders in corrections, the clinical expertise they gain from doing so, and selected aspects of the training programs that place them in correctional settings. Eighty-eight chief psychologists from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP; response rate ϭ 95%) provided information on psychology services delivered as part of practicum training. Twenty-six institutions were identified as hosting doctoral level psychology students. The most frequent clinical services provided were in individual therapy, group therapy, and assessment. More than a third of the institutions had students on site for 16 hours or more per week. Among the 26 institutions, urban and Mid-Atlantic correctional institutions were most likely to be guiding students to provide services and obtain experience. As students gain and refine their clinical practice skills in corrections, it is hoped that these skills will later be applied in criminal justice systems to the benefit of both offenders and the staff responsible for their custody and care.

Counseling psychologists and correctional settings: Opportunities between profession and setting

“…Today, counseling psychologists make up nearly a quarter of the psychologists in corrections (Boothby & Clements, 2000;Magaletta et al, 2011). Coupled with the holistic training they bring, we believe counseling psychologists are valuable in developing a well-rounded, vibrant, and healthy correctional mental health workforce.…”

Institutionally based videoconferencing

“…Forensic telepsychiatry programmes allow clinicians based elsewhere to circumvent some barriers to care. These include increases in the cost of transporting inmates along with staff, the risk to public safety, the danger to providers in the private practice setting, and the inconvenience of transporting physicians to correctional facilities (Antonacci et al, 2008;Magaletta et al, 2011).…”

Motives of Criminal Captive-takers: A Preliminary Investigation

“…Knowledge of their possible psychosocial backgrounds will help inform all phases of treatment, from rapport-building and assessment to designing effective interventions. Magaletta et al (2011) showed the multiple roles psychologists in correctional facilities must adhere to, including Bscreening, assessment, diagnosis, individual therapy, group work, crisis intervention, and treatment planning^(p. 343). Knowledge contributes to one's professional competence, and competence has been found to serve as a protective factor against burnout among corrections mental health providers (Gallavan and Newman 2013).…”

“…Psychologists employed in government, military, criminal justice and corrections settings need to gain knowledge and skills for interacting with many different offender groups (Magaletta et al 2011). From assessment to interventions, screenings to competency evaluations, they work with clients from all offender categories that present with a full spectrum of psychological disorders.…”