Processual readings of the drive trajectory of a perpetrator of domestic violence: Therapeutic perspectives in the prison environment

Becoming industrious female citizens: Work, discipline, and negotiation in Chinese female prison

BackgroundImprisonment has a major impact on a person’s psychological well-being. The proportion of older imprisoned persons is dramatically increasing worldwide, and they are likely to have greater physical and mental health needs compared to younger persons in prisons. However, there is currently a lack of research on the psychological stressors and the coping strategies of older imprisoned persons. This study therefore aims to explore the key psychological stressors experienced by older imprisoned persons and their coping strategies.MethodsIndividual semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted between April 2017 and December 2018 with a purposive sample of 79 participants from 2 different groups in Switzerland: older imprisoned persons (n = 50) and mental health professionals (n = 29) with experience working in prisons. Transcripts were analysed using conventional content analysis.ResultsThis study has identified various ways in which the prison environment not only undermines older incarcerated persons´ psychological well-being, but also their ability to manage the stress they are experiencing. Two overarching psychological stressors identified were a lack of physical and emotional closeness in social relationships (with prison staff, with other incarcerated persons, and outside of prison), and the loss of autonomy in prison. Participants reported five main ways that older incarcerated persons coped with the psychological stressors in prison: 1) recognising a lack of control over situation, 2) withdrawing and isolating, 3) self-improvement, 4) staying connected to the outside world, and 5) self-expression.ConclusionsTo improve the psychological well-being of older incarcerated persons, there is a need for: specialised training of prison staff regarding hardships that elderly persons can face in prison relationships, encouragement and enablement of social contacts with the outside world, and increasing possibilities for autonomy, new challenges, and thus stimuli within a limited setting.

Internationally, compassionate care remains at the centre of nursing practice. Compassion is defined in various ways with a lack of consensus on a universal definition.

This study deals with gender inequality in the labour market, a situation that becomes worse when we talk about incarcerated women, showing the lack of human dignity in the prision system. Women’s participation in the labour market has increased over the years, but the gender difference is noticeable when we analyze the positions held and the pay gap. In the penitentiary system, situation is reversed, the number of incarcerated women who work is higher compared to men, and however the conditions referring to human dignity when we speak about gender are unconstitutional. The scope of this article is to lead to academic debate the issue of dignity of incarcerated women in labour market, since the prision system aggravates and indicates the gender difference. To archive the research purpose, the methodology used will be bibliographic and documentary, bringing the concept of work,the discussion about acquisition of the right to work for women and the analysis of data from the profile of incarcerated women, access to work and education in the prison environment. With a population of 37.828 women in spaces designed for men it is necessary think about work, as fundamental at re-socializing and at human dignity. Keywords: Women; Prison; Work; Human dignity. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-11-12 Publication date: June 30 th 2021

Occupational therapy within a prison environment is a comparatively new area of practice. This paper draws on the experience of occupational therapists who have worked in “G” Division, Pentridge Prison, the only psychiatric facility of the Victorian penal system. It outlines the philosophical model used for their intervention and gives an example of its practical application. The authors hope that, through this paper, they will demystify some of the myths related to working in prisons, so as to encourage further participation of occupational therapists in this specialist field.

Almost 10 years ago, attention was drawn to the many pitfalls involved in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in prison settings, based on field experience from the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) (Coninx et al., 1995). Since that time, the ICRC has continued working in the field of TB in prisons, either directly or by supporting the local programmes in different countries. Further experience gained since then has, if anything, confirmed and reinforced the worries caused by the specific problems posed both by the prison environment and by “prisoner‐patients” for the treatment of TB. Medical staff working in prisons need to be familiar with these issues if tuberculosis is to be managed and treated successfully. With the menace of drug‐resistant TB no longer merely a marginal problem but arguably becoming a direct menace to public health, it becomes all the more important to be aware of these pitfalls. This paper addresses the following: * why prison settings are especially difficult for TB detection and management; * why prisoners can be particularly difficult patients; * how different resistant strains of TB are produced or enhanced in prisons; * added difficulties in treating MDR‐TB in prisoners; and * how and why the association of TB and HIV complicate TB, and MDR‐TB, treatment in prisons even further. The photographs and additional illustrations are from the author’s collection. Permission was obtained from all persons photographed for reproduction.

INTRODUCTION: Abuse during pregnancy is of particular concern because it is a threat to both maternal and child health. The knowledge of the prevalence, nature, and perpetrators of domestic violence will assist in developing a strategy for health care professionals to screen and refer abused women for effective interventions. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of domestic violence in pregnancy. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional survey involving 1,030 consecutive and consenting antenatal attendees at Aba, southeastern Nigeria, over the period June 10, 2013, to September 10, 2013. A questionnaire that was a modified version of Abuse Assessment Screen was used to collect and record demographic data, physical or emotional abuse by a partner or someone close to the participants in the past, or physical hurt in the current pregnancy. The perpetrator of the violence and the nature and severity of the abuse were also recorded. RESULTS: The prevalence of domestic violence was 50.1%. Domestic violence was highest in the age group 20–24 years. Husbands were the main perpetrators. Threats and slapping were the most common pattern of violence. Victims of domestic violence were more likely to be aged 20–24 years, attained tertiary education, and unpartnered (all P<.05). CONCLUSION: Domestic violence is highly prevalent in this population. Because pregnancy presents a unique window of opportunity to screen for domestic violence, the introduction of routine antenatal enquiry for domestic violence is necessary if abused women are to be identified and supported. Further studies to evaluate the potential benefits for screening and intervention during pregnancy are warranted.

This chapter focuses on those who work within the prison environment. It presents relevant statistics and data to explore who works in prisons. The chapter also focuses on the role of a prison governor and issues regarding prison management before focusing on the prison officer. The role of the prison officer will be broken down to answer the following questions: what do they do; how do they do it; what training and education do they get; what is the impact of working in the environment on a prison officer and what makes a good prison officer? The chapter discusses the notion of prison officer culture and the challenges officers face during their work. The focus of the chapter is deliberately on those with prisoner-facing roles but it provides an overview of who else works in a prison, the management structure and some key differences in working in public and/or private prisons.

DEBRA UMBERSON University of Texas KRISTIN ANDERSON Drew University* JENNIFER GLICK Brown University** ADAM SHAPIRO University of North Florida*** Research on perpetrators of domestic violence suggests that acts of violence may result .from feelings of low control. Research on victims suggests that domestic violence may undermine feelings of control. Using a national sample, we consider how domestic violence is related to control. We find that individuals who have initiated violence against a partner do not differ from individuals who have nonviolent relationships in feelings of control. However, experiencing violence at the hands of a partner has significant adverse effects on a sense of control for women, but not for men. This suggests that violence, even when both the man and woman participate, is more detrimental to the self-perceptions and well-being of women than of men. Key Words: domestic violence, marital conflict, mastery, control. wife abuse. National surveys indicate that at least 28% of couples experience physical violence at some point in their relationship and 16% of couples experience violence in a given year (Straus & Gelles, 1986). The consequences of domestic violence are substantial-in terms of physical injury, psychological and emotional distress, suicide, and substance abuse among victims (Stark & Flitcraft, 1991). Much of the research on domestic violence addresses etiological questions: Why do some people perpetrate acts of domestic violence, and why do so many victims remain in abusive relationships? These questions are generally addressed in two very separate literatures that are concerned with either the victims or the perpetrators of domestic violence and that ignore any overlap between these two groups. The victim literature focuses on social and psychological factors that lead individuals-typically women-to remain involved in abusive relationships (Bowker, 1983: Walker, 1984). The perpetrator literature focuses on social and psychological factors that lead individuals-typically men-to abuse their domestic partners (Dutton, 1988; Hamberger & Hastings, 1986; Stets, 1988). A central theme in both literatures is that feelings of control play an important role in the dynamics of domestic violence. The victim literature suggests that victims of domestic violence experience an increasingly diminished sense of control that leads to powerlessness and helplessness-psychological conditions that disenable individuals from leaving abusive relationships. The perpetuator literature suggests that perpetrators of domestic violence are characterized by a reduced sense of control or a high need for control that plays a role in triggering violent episodesviolent episodes that may enhance control. The study presented here draws on theoretical and empirical work in psychosocial epidemiology to explore how control is related to domestic violence in a national sample. We consider both victims and perpetrators of domestic violence in our analysis. In light of theoretical and research evidence that domestic violence is a different phenomenon for men and women (Johnson, 1995; Langhinrichsen-Rohling, Neidig, & Thorn, 1995), we also consider how the association of control and domestic violence may differ for men and women. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND PERSONAL CONTROL The term, personal control, developed in previous theoretical and empirical work (e.g., Mirowsky & Ross, 1989, 1990; Rosenfield, 1989; Turner & Noh, 1983), refers to the belief that one's own intentions and behaviors can impose control over one's environment (Umberson, 1993, p. 578). This general concept has been similarly labeled personal efficacy (Kohn, 1972) and mastery (Pearlin, Lieberman, Menaghan, & Mullen, 1981). The obverse of control is revealed in Wheaton's (1980) measure of fatalism. …

Military populations may experience more severe forms of domestic violence than the general population. Although mental disorders are associated with domestic violence perpetration among the general population, it is not clear whether this is the case for military populations. This review aimed to establish the prevalence and odds of domestic violence perpetration among male and female military personnel with mental disorders. Systematic review: searches of eleven electronic databases were supplemented by hand searches, reference screening, citation tracking and expert recommendations. Ten studies were included; nine reporting on partner violence and one on violence against an adult family member. Median prevalence estimates were calculated for partner violence perpetration among male military personnel with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); estimates on other disorders were not possible due to lack of data. 27.5% of men with PTSD reported past year physical violence perpetration against a partner and 91.0% reported past year psychological violence perpetration against a partner. Due to limited data, no median estimates could be calculated for female military personnel. Data from individual papers indicate increased odds of past year partner violence perpetration among male and female military personnel with depression; inconsistent findings were reported for risk of partner violence perpetration among male and female military personnel with PTSD. There is some evidence that mental disorders among military personnel are associated with past year domestic violence perpetration, though current data cannot confirm direction of causality. Research is needed to inform the development of interventions targeted to reduce domestic violence perpetration among military personnel.

Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) are prevalent among persons with severe mental illness (SMI), being involved as victim, perpetrator, or both. To assess rates of DVA victimization and perpetration in patients with SMI. We also aimed to assess whether DVA victimization was associated with DVA perpetration, and whether this was mediated by dispositional anger in patients with SMI. Lastly, we aimed to examine whether gender moderated the associations between DVA victimization and perpetration. We conducted a nation-wide survey on victimization in patients with SMI. In 942 patients DVA perpetration of physical assault and victimization of physical assault, sexual coercion or psychological aggression over the past year were assessed using the revised Conflict Tactics Scale. Anger was assessed using the dispositional anger reactions scale. Correlation and mediation analyses were conducted, followed by a moderated mediation to assess whether effects of anger differed between men and women. The prevalence rate of perpetration of physical assault was 22%, for victimization 27% and 52% for both. We found a strong positive correlation between perpetrated physical assault and victimization of mild physical assault and between both the perpetration and victimization of severe physical assault. Anger mediated the link between being a victim of psychological aggression and being a perpetrator of DVA. Women were more likely to perpetrate violence if they were victims of mild physical assault compared to men. Other moderation effects by gender were not observed. This study reveals persistent high DVA rates among patients with SMI. Overall, anger had no mediating effect on the association between victimization and perpetration of violence, except for psychological aggression and perpetration of DVA. This study emphasizes the importance of routine violence discussions in SMI care while taking context into account. However, further research on underlying mechanisms and interventions to improve discussions and care for victims and/or perpetrators of DVA is necessary.

Domestic violence is now an international social issue. Although some countries have been slow to respond, many have developed interventions based on an empowerment approach. This article examines a number of psychological variables and their impact on the implementation of an accountability approach in a group of participants from France and Canada (Quebec). The variables examined are traumatic and dissociative symptoms, attachment and suicide risk. Although these factors are crucial, they have been little studied, even though they may have an impact on the quality of support provided to perpetrators of domestic violence. Objectives Our objectives were to identify the psycho-socio-criminological profiles of perpetrators of domestic violence who had attended a course or an intervention group. We also wanted to compare these two groups and their respective support in order to hypothesize about the implementation of an accountability process in relation to certain psychological variables. Method A total of 57 men were interviewed, 38 from France and 19 from Quebec, who completed questionnaires on attachment, suicide risk, traumatic and dissociative symptoms, and socio-demographic data. Results The French and Quebec groups of men were similar in terms of their socio-demographic profiles, but there were significant differences in the types of violence reported. The Quebec group reported more sexual violence than the French group, while the French group reported more physical violence than the Quebec group. There were no significant differences in the results of the questionnaires on attachment and suicide risk, but the questionnaires on traumatic and dissociative symptoms were significantly higher among the Quebec perpetrators of domestic violence. Conclusion These differences may be explained by differences in the recruitment sites, the level of self-reflection and the time between the act of violence and the research interview. Secondary prevention work needs to be carried out so that perpetrators of domestic violence can identify their difficulties and verbalise and mentalise the issues that affect them. In addition, the obligation to attend training courses on responsibility, as proposed in France, seems appropriate but not sufficient. Individual meetings with a counsellor or psychologist, as a complement to these courses or groups, could help to increase the level of responsibility for the act and encourage more in-depth work. This awareness could in turn reduce the risk of re-offending and intergenerational transmission.

Domestic violence is a phenomenon on which, for many years, there have been turbulent discussions in Poland – not only in the media and political forums, but also in the scientific community. The article presents analyses on the effectiveness of one of the key programmes addressed to perpetrators of domestic violence who are serving their sentences in prison. The Duluth programme, also known as the Duluth model, is essentially aimed at perpetrators of violence against female partners, however, it has seen many modifications and is widely used in the case of both custodial and non-custodial sentences. The results obtained indicate statistically significant differences in return to crime depending on whether the convicted person participated in the programme for perpetrators of violence or not. Among the convicts in the experimental group, i.e. those who had completed the program, the return-to-crime rate was 37%, whereas in the control group it was 55% – that is, it was significantly higher among those who had not completed the programme. As already mentioned, these differences were statistically significant.

Objective To explore characteristics of traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSO)symptom among perpetrators of domestic violence(DV).Methods A structured psychiatric interview,self-report Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire(TLEQ)and Impact of Event Scale-revised(IES-R)were administered to 50 male perpetrators of DV and 80 controls matched by age,education and family structure,who were selected from certain community in Mianyang city,Sichuan province,China.Results (1)80%of perpetrators of DV(n=40)had experienced more than three traumatic events,significantly higher than that in the controls (46.2%)(x2=21.70,P=0.000),and the mean number of traumatic events in perpetrators of DV was significantly higher than that in the controls(5.5:3;Z=3.94,P=0.000).(2)The perpetrators of DV had experienced more types oftraumatic events than the controls,such as sudden death of a close friend or aloved one(x2=3.74),witness to domestic violence(x2=6.24),intimate partner abuse(x2=10.06)and childhood sexual abuse(x2=4.53～8.45),with all significant differences(P＜0.05).(3)The total score of IES-R and its'three subscale sores among perpetrators of DV were all significantly higher than those among the controls(P＜0.05).Conclusion In the perpetrators of DV,exposure to traumatic events were very conunon.The importance of screening and early intervention and prevention programmes for psychological traumas among perpetrators of DV was highly emphasized. Key words: Domestic violence; Cross-section survey; Psychological trauma; Childhood abuse

Interpersonal dependency—the tendency to look to others for nurturance, guidance, protection, and support, even in situations where autonomous functioning is possible—has become associated with passivity and submissiveness in the minds of mental health professionals. However, evidence suggests that dependent persons behave quite actively, even aggressively, in certain contexts. This chapter reviews research and clinical writing on interpersonal dependency and dependent personality disorder (DPD) to facilitate therapeutic work with dependent patients. The epidemiology of DPD, sex differences, prevalence rates, issues regarding differential diagnosis and comorbidity, and research documenting biological and environmental antecedents of DPD are described. We will describe an integrative framework, the cognitive/interactionist (C/I) model, which specifies the core cognitive, motivational, behavioral, and affective components of normal and pathological dependency. We also provide an overarching structure for conceptualizing contextual variations in dependency-related responding. Although dependency leads to increased risk for a number of negative outcomes (e.g., suicide and parasuicide, perpetration of domestic violence in men), it is also linked with an array of adaptive behavior patterns (e.g., conscientiousness in complying with medical and psychotherapeutic treatment regimens). A case formulation and discussion of treatment challenges in therapeutic work with dependent patients are presented; major psychosocial and pharmacological treatment approaches are evaluated; and guidelines for maximizing treatment efficacy are offered.