Psychological therapy in prisons: Professionals’ perceptions

The Impact of Caseload and Tenure on the Development of Vicarious Trauma in Australian Corrective Services Employees

“…This study also found that staff whose role requires them to deal either therapeutically or systematically to reduce offenders' risk of recidivism are almost three times more likely to experience symptoms of VT than custodial officers who operate from a more punitive perspective. This finding may support those of Volker and Galbraith (2018), which suggested that there is a disparity in establishing a therapeutic atmosphere within a penal environment. It may also be worth considering that corrective services staff deal with some individuals who are responsible for inflicting great pain and suffering on their victims, which leaves little space for compassion and empathy for their clients (Nelson, Herhily, & Oescher, 2002).…”

“…Counsellors and psychologists working within correctional settings are likely to be more vulnerable to burnout and vicarious trauma due to the conflicting roles that can occur in these positions, and the impact these disparities can have on personal morals and values. Volker and Galbraith (2018) reveal that there is often a conflict that arises between therapeutic values and punitive values within therapists working with offenders. Often, therapists are required to operate from positions of empathy and positive regard, whilst managing conflicting emotions of anger, disgust, and hatred, all while functioning within the socio-cultural context of the correctional institution (Polson & McCullom, 1995;Malkina-Pykh, 2017).…”

Problems of Countering the Criminal Subculture in the Penitentiary System of Kazakhstan

“…The majority of convicts are forced to share the specific values of the prison community in one way or another (Mendybaev, 2011). The problem is that these traditions and customs can neither be destroyed nor banned overnight, since it is impossible to change centuries of inherited attitudes, ways of thinking, habits at once (Barquín et al, 2019;Sarkissian et al, 2018;Volker & Galbraith, 2018). According to S.I Shpak (2012), a certain ideology and value system is present in the criminal world in any country of the world.…”