Mental Health Issues during Covid-19 Pandemic in Portuguese Prisons

Abstract

During imprisonment, inmates face many difficulties to adapt to prison life well depicted in either classical works or recent research. They usually face many struggles related to the lack of contact with their families. For instance, the less the number of prison visits, the higher levels of aggressiveness and, consequently, the lower levels of adaptation. Additionally, this population is already problematic in “normal conditions” of their imprisonment. When facing crisis – such as the Covid-19 pandemic – their mental and emotional conditions become even worst. Inmates may experience higher levels of anxiety and stress due to the uncertain and high-risk circumstances they are all living. In addition, the deprivations of the support from their families, combined with the higher risk they are exposed due to the danger of Covid-19 virus’ contamination, substantially increase their concerns and could contribute to their lack of adjustment. The present chapter refers to the policies implemented by the Portuguese Prison Administration to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and a provisional balance of its effects after one year of implementation. Besides information regarding inmate’s mental health conditions during pandemic, data on recidivism rates and criminal activity will also be discussed concerning their implication for future penitentiary policies.

Fear of COVID-19, Mental Health and Resilient Coping in Young Adult Male Inmates: A Portuguese Cross-Sectional Study

“…These initiatives must be multifaceted, integrating efforts to safeguard and enhance mental health with activities to manage other mental illnesses [ 62 ]. Second, when inmates enter the penal system and serve their sentences, they should be screened for mental health disorders on a regular basis [ 21 ]. Third, this study may help develop psychotherapeutic programs to evaluate how the incarcerated might best cope with stress and manage emotions [ 41 ].…”

“…Considering the pooled prevalence of mental illness in prisons, treatment barriers appear to increase the poor response to this problem. Indeed, past research has shown that incarceration creates specific mental health care challenges [ 21 ]. Often, these constraints begin with the arrival of prisoners, who are often reluctant to seek aid on their own.…”

“…Screening at reception usually emphasizes physical health, while mental health screening is frequently limited. Furthermore, screening is frequently performed by workers who have no prior training in mental health issues [ 21 ], contributing to the inefficiency of such evaluations.…”

“…In “normal conditions,” the prison population presents high levels of mental and emotional vulnerability, a situation that has worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic [ 21 ]. As a result of their uncertain and high-risk circumstances, inmates suffer increased degrees of anxiety, fear, and stress [ 16 ].…”

“…According to the transactional model of stress and coping proposed by Lazarus and Folkman, people constantly assess stimuli in their surroundings and cope with stress [ 25 ] using different strategies to manage emotions or address the cause of the problem [ 26 ]. Fears of infection, along with limits on family visits and worry about delays in an already overburdened court system, have heightened mental health risks [ 27 ] related to increased rates of anxiety, stress, and depression [ 16 , 21 ]. Moreover, the perception of poor social support may lead to the adoption of maladaptive coping strategies [ 28 ].…”