Prison

Abstract

Incarceration is, by its very nature, aversive, and some prison regimes are designed to be harsh and demeaning. Many prison inmates are psychologically vulnerable as a result of unstable family backgrounds, child abuse, poverty, lack of education, and drug-related problems, and some have severe psychopathologies. Occupational stress levels are high in prison staff and can result in social problems, psychological distress, and increased risk of stress-related physical illness. Prison therefore has all the ingredients of a highly stressful environment for both inmates and prison staff. The focus of this article is on civilian prisons. Comparatively little research has been carried out on civilian prison inmates in contrast with prisoners of war, victims of concentration camps, and political prisoners. The issue of stress and prison is discussed from the perspectives of prison inmates and prison staff, with consideration of the potential sources of stress, stress outcomes, and methods of ameliorating stress responses in both groups.