Sectioned offenders presenting with enduring mental illness: a study exploring behaviors indicative of bullying

Abstract

Logit and logistic regression analyses were employed to explore the nature, extent and predictors of behaviors indicative of "being bullied" and of "bullying others" in a sample of 125 adult male offender-patients sectioned for enduring mental illness and detained within a high-secure psychiatric hospital. The study addresses the lack of research into this specialized population to date, with a subsidiary aim of comparing the results directly with a previous study conducted with a population of adult male personality-disordered offender-patients (n = 53). Participants were required to complete a self-report behavioral checklist (Direct and Indirect Patient behavior Checklist-Hospital version Revised). The prediction that indirect (subtle) aggression would be reported more frequently than direct aggression was supported in relation to perpetration estimates, with evidence such aggression was also more prevalent among personality-disordered than mentally ill offender-patients. As predicted verbal aggression was the most commonly reported direct behavior. Although it was predicted that those perpetrating aggression would present with increased experience with secure settings this was only supported with regard to bully-victims. Contrary to the prediction made, those victimized did not present with less experience of secure settings. Consistent with the hypothesis, bully/victims were predicted by increased negative behavior toward staff and hospital rules. The results are discussed in relation to the environment in which the aggression is taking place with the implications for practice and future research outlined.

Bullying behaviours among mentally disordered offenders in a medium secure unit

“…Despite this, the findings are in line with previous research where higher prevalence estimates for indirect aggression have been found in high and medium secure settings (Ireland and Bescoby, 2005;Ireland and Rowley, 2007;Cooper et al, 2011). It is possible that indirect aggression was reported more frequently due to the subtle nature of such behaviours and the likelihood of these going unnoticed in secure settings (Ireland, 1999).…”

“…It remains unclear how much of bullying is perpetrated by an individual or by a group of individuals. However, it is perceived that the findings reported here are an underestimate of the pure bully group if such individuals are expected to be less likely to engage in treatment and participate in research (Ireland and Rowley, 2007). This is because there are a greater number of patients in the unit who fit this description, further supported by the fact that roughly a third of patients declined to take part in this study.…”

“…The authors expected that the findings would be similar to those of Ireland and Rowley (2007) due to the similar samples (e.g. male mentally disordered patients).…”

“…Such research will be discussed here due to its relevance to the current study which was undertaken in a medium secure unit (MSU). Studies have predominantly been conducted in high secure forensic services with male personality disordered patients (Ireland, 2004(Ireland, , 2005Ireland and Bescoby, 2005), male mentally disordered patients (Ireland and Rowley, 2007) and mixed samples of both male and female patients (Ireland, 2006). Only one study to date has been conducted in a MSU with male mentally disordered patients (Cooper et al, 2011).…”

A descriptive analysis of bullying in prison: a study of male offenders in Estonia

“…Kui vaadelda vanglakiusamise ulatust, lähtudes teiste kinni peetavate kiusamise ohvriks langemise (ohvrikäitumise) ja teiste kinnipeetavate kiusa mise (kiusamiskäitumise) ulatusest, siis ilmneb, et keskmiselt 53% kinnipeetavatest on seotud ohvrikäitumisega ja 52% kiusamiskäitu misega (Ireland, 2005a). Otsese vanglakiusamise liikide seas kaldub olema sagedasim verbaalne ja/või psühholoogiline kiusamis ja ohvrikäitumine, kusjuures seksuaalne agressioon osutub kõige vähem sagedaseks (Ireland & Bescoby, 2005;Ireland & Ireland, 2000;Ireland & Power, 2004;Ireland & Rowley, 2007;South & Wood, 2006).…”