监狱监管安全管理风险源识别及防范对策研究

目的：通过气球模拟风险决策任务(BART)探查未成年暴力犯的冒险倾向。方法：对64名未成年暴力犯和35名普通未成年进行BART任务测试，未成年暴力犯还进行暴力风险量表(VRS-YV)评估。结果：未成年暴力犯的BART值(未爆破气球的平均充气数)显著高于普通未成年人，未成年暴力犯的BART值与其暴力风险量表中的成瘾行为因子和冲动性因子得分显著正相关。结论：未成年暴力犯比普通未成年人具有更高的冒险倾向，其冒险倾向水平与成瘾行为和冲动性高关联。

神经科学作为一个相对较新，正在飞速发展的领域，在刑事司法实践中已经显示出巨大的应用潜力，并由此催生出了神经法学(Neurolaw)这一交叉研究领域，旨在探讨神经科学领域对于个体的决策、行为能力等方面的研究发现对现行法律规则和判断标准的影响。神经法学不仅关注神经科学技术如何适用于解决现有的法律体系中存在的多种难题，从案件的立案、侦查，到案件审判，最后到罪犯的矫正与释放后的再犯风险预测，同时也关注神经科学技术应当在司法程序的哪些环节使用、是否应该使用等伦理与规范性问题。而本文着重探讨了神经科学在刑事司法系统两个关键领域中的应用情况和未来的发展方向，包括刑事责任能力判定和服刑人员的风险评估与矫正。神经法学的研究不仅加深了我们对于犯罪行为背后的神经机制的理解，在深入研究并加强两个领域学者间交流的前提下，神经科学还能够进一步改进刑事司法实践，提供更加个性化和科学的罪犯评估和矫正计划，使得刑事司法实践更加公正且人性化。

目的：调查未成年暴力犯的暴力再犯风险及其心理行为特点。方法：通过访谈、他评、自评结合的方式对206名未成年暴力犯进行暴力再犯风险、反社会人格障碍、品行障碍、冷漠无情特质、冲动性、共情等方面的调查。结果：高暴力再犯风险者的比例为32%，品行障碍的检出率为76.21%，反社会人格障碍的检出率为77.67%。累犯、不完整家庭者、入所前非在校生的暴力风险显著高于初犯、家庭不完整者及入所前在校生。共情总分与暴力再犯风险显著相关，冷漠无情特质、冲动性水平与各个暴力风险得分皆呈现出显著正相关。结论：该群体暴力风险水平较高，个体的冷漠无情特质、冲动性、共情水平对于暴力风险有较好的预测作用。

为探究攻击行为与注意偏向关系的稳定性及其调节机制，经文献检索与筛选，对23项研究(总样本量N = 6338)进行元分析。结果发现：个体对攻击性信息存在显著且稳定的注意偏向；调节效应分析表明，攻击倾向越高，注意偏向越明显；愤怒材料及直接受攻击的情境能显著增强注意偏向水平；正常高攻击者、临床患者及罪犯群体的偏向程度显著高于正常对照组；但主动性与反应性攻击在效应量上无显著差异。以上结果表明，攻击个体在认知加工早期存在敌意线索的捕获优势，且该过程受到个体特质、线索效价及即时情境的共同调节，为攻击行为的预测与干预提供了实证依据。

伴随科技的蓬勃发展及社会生活的巨大变迁，社会矛盾复杂性凸显、社会压力增大等问题层出不穷。在此基础上，人们的心理也逐渐呈现出复杂多变之势，这导致我国的激情犯罪案件多发，其在刑事案件中所占的比例不断上升。对犯罪行为的惩治和预防应需建立在对犯罪行为背后犯罪心理的深入了解之上，故在梳理、总结已有激情犯罪基本理论的基础上，依托犯罪心理学视角，分析讨论激情犯罪的成因及其防控机制。有针对性地分别从社会、个体、重点人群的预防，区分不同类型的激情犯罪以确定其刑事责任，犯罪人的心理矫正治疗等方面提出相应的具体措施，旨在预防和减少激情犯罪的发生，矫治激情犯罪人的犯罪心理，维护社会的稳定发展。

本文使用画树测验对重庆市、宜宾市某司法局社区的100名矫正对象和100名来自各行业、各年龄段的无犯罪记录成年人进行施测，以期探讨画树测验是否可以测量社区矫正对象的心理特点。研究结果发现：社区矫正对象在4个肯定性指标(开放性、主动性、目标性以及自我效能感)和3个负性指标(焦虑、压抑以及自杀危险性)上均与无犯罪记录成年人存在显著差异，最终证明画树测验在分析社区矫正对象心理特点中有一定的应用价值。

出于特殊预防目的，《反有组织犯罪法》设立了个人财产报告与从业监管措施，需要对其性质予以明确才能实现有效适用。与此相类似的刑罚执行后继续管控广泛存在于我国立法中，并在过于强调继续管控、报应主义和社会防卫思想下，忽略了与刑罚执行后继续管控价值之间的平衡，以致产生了种类繁多，造成的后果严重，缺乏程序保障等特点。刑罚执行后继续管控应当以帮助犯罪人重返社会为基本引领，在此基础上，将刑罚执行后继续管控的性质厘定为附随性法律后果。消解刑罚执行后继续管控的矛盾，得从遵循比例原则、完善人身危险性评估入手。

ObjectivesParole is a mechanism by which some prisoners in England and Wales may be released from custody under probation supervision and subject to licence conditions. It is the responsibility of the Parole Board to conduct independent risk assessments of eligible prisoners to determine whether they can be safely released. MethodsThis research involved secondary analysis of de-identified, individual-level records from the Ministry of Justice Data First prisoner custodial journey dataset. The dataset used in this study contained details of 1,113,113 releases from English and Welsh prisons between 1 January 2011 and 29 September 2021 (relating to 614,665 individuals). ResultsFunded by the Dawes Trust and undertaken in partnership with the Prison Reform Trust, this exploratory, independent study – the largest of its kind to date – describes the parole cohort and reports on the extent and nature of post-release rates of recall, custodial reconviction, and serious further offending by parolees and other prisoners in England and Wales between 2011 and 2021. These outcomes were assessed at one, two, three, five, and ten-year follow-up periods. It also identifies risk and protective factors associated with these outcomes. ConclusionThe unique insights from the research will be used to inform a better understanding of how the implementation, development, and delivery of parole arrangements can shape post-release outcomes for prisoners. It will generate public benefits by informing strategies for the effective post-release supervision of prisoners and parolees.

No abstract available

Prison misconduct refers to any breach of rules and regulations established within correctional institutions to ensure order and safety for both inmates and staff. According to the importation model, younger adults may possess unique developmental characteristics that increase their likelihood of engaging in such behaviors. This study examines prison misconduct among young adults aged 18 to 23, assessing the predictive validity of two risk assessment tools—the OASys and the START:AV. Findings suggest that developmentally tailored risk assessment instruments, like the START:AV, outperform others in predicting various types of prison misconduct among young offenders over a 3-month follow-up period.

Risk management is a key issue for all organizations. The frequent failures of many organizations in this area highlight the need for effective risk identification and management. However, awareness of the need for better risk management does not automatically mean better risk management. Correctional units carry out risk management activities, either for regulatory purposes or independently of other activities. Thus, prison organizations should include an awareness of the risks, both in terms of the tasks that may be incorrectly per-formed and the opportunities that can be used, within the framework of all their activities. Prison organisations that are able to incorporate risk management awareness in this way will be able to use the risk management process to improve operational efficiency and the satisfaction of all stakeholders. This article presents the areas of risk occurring in penitentiary and protection departments. The analysis of these cases allows conclusions to be drawn regarding best practices in risk management and to develop recommendations based on the best practices counteracting these groups of risks.

Introduction Physical and verbal violence toward staff or other detained individuals is a reoccurring problem within correctional facilities. Screening for violence risk within the prison setting could provide a valuable first step in the prevention of institutional violence. The brief and compact Risk Screener Violence (RS-V) has shown to be an efficient new method for assessing concerns regarding post-release violent offending for incarcerated persons. This study aimed to find out whether the RS-V is also able to predict future violent and aggressive incidents during imprisonment. Methods The predictive validity of the RS-V for future violent and aggressive incidents during a follow-up time of 4 months within prison was analyzed, using a file-based design. Violent incidents toward staff and other inmates (physical violence and violent threats), other aggressive incidents (aggression toward objects and verbal disruptive behavior), and both categories combined, were included as outcome measures based on disciplinary reports. Results The RS-V showed medium to large predictive values for both violent and aggressive behavior during prison stay. In particular, good predictive values of the RS-V were found for violence toward prison staff. Discussion This study shows that, besides post-release violent recidivism, the RS-V is able to accurately predict future violent and aggressive incidents during prison stay. By correctly differentiating between low concern and high concern individuals, the RS-V aims to contribute to more personalized interventions and risk management and, subsequently, to improved prison safety. Future studies using prospective prison practice data are needed to further support the validity of the RS-V regarding institutional violence.

ABSTRACT It is a commonly held belief that people convicted of sex crimes against children are at an increased risk for being targeted for violence in correctional facilities due to their low status in the prison hierarchy, but most of these assumptions are based on anecdotal evidence or extreme cases. The current study is the first quantitative assessment of victimization risk for incarcerated people convicted of sex crimes that separates cases according to the age of the sex crime victim (children 0–12 years old, young teenagers 13–15 years old, teenagers 16–17 years, and adults 18 years old and over). Data were obtained from the administrative records of 1,487 incarcerated men convicted of sex crimes and held in Minnesota state prisons. Cox regression models and negative binomial models found that people convicted of sex crimes against adults were the most likely to suffer prison victimization out of the four groups, contrary to the assumption of incarcerated people committing violence to avenge child victims. Possible explanations and pathways for future research are discussed. HIGHLIGHTS Among people incarcerated for sexual offenses, prison victimization is highest when the victim of the offense was an adult. Prison victimization was lowest among those incarcerated for sexual offenses against young teenagers (13–15 years old). Some correlates of prison victimization identified by prior research were not significant correlates in this study. The most important risk factors were routines, custody level, age, veteran status, and recent prior victimization.

Within the prison system, it is often not feasible to administer comprehensive risk assessment for all incarcerated persons because of limited time and resources. To enhance prison safety and facilitate the structured evaluation of concerns about violence risk for all individuals, the Risk Screener Violence (RS-V) was developed. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether the RS-V (N = 571) is able to retrospectively predict postrelease violent (re)offending for males (81%) and females (19%). The RS-V was scored with excellent interrater reliability and demonstrated medium to large predictive validity for all follow-up periods. Surprisingly, the predictive validity for females was even stronger than for males. This study demonstrates that the RS-V offers a promising new method for the efficient screening of concerns regarding violent behavior among incarcerated males and females. Further prospective studies in prison practice will have to consolidate these findings.

Preventing in-prison violence and maintaining a safe environment is an important goal within prison settings. Screening for violence risk may provide a valuable addition to reach this goal. Within the Dutch prison system, the Risk Screener Violence (RS-V) has become an important new element in overall risk management. Prior research shows that RS-V scores are a sound predictor of institutional violence and aggression of incarcerated persons. Whereas previous studies predominantly analyzed retrospective file-based data, the present study includes RS-Vs rated by prison employees in real-life prison practice shortly after implementation. The RS-Vs of 956 detained individuals from 25 Dutch prisons were analyzed. Disciplinary reports were consulted to measure violent and aggressive incidents during 4 months after the screening. In addition, detention duration (length of stay in prison before the screening) was included as an additional variable. Results of the present prison practice study show good predictive values of the RS-V ratings for violent and aggressive incidents during prison stay. The predictive validity was similar for prisoner-to-prisoner assault as well as prisoner-to-staff assault. In addition, the predictive validity of the RS-V scores did not differ between individuals with a longer detention duration versus individuals with a shorter detention duration. This multisite prison practice study is an important step in the further validation of the RS-V and shows that the RS-V is a valuable tool in determining who is more likely to show institutional violence. Nonetheless, it remains important to continually monitor the implementation and correct application of the RS-V in prison practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Abstract Risk assessment tools for recidivism have been validated extensively in youth justice populations. These validation studies typically demonstrate good predictive accuracy, leading many jurisdictions to implement structured approaches across custody and community supervision settings. However, previous research has focused primarily on single supervision contexts, with limited examination of whether predictions maintain their accuracy when applied across different settings. This gap has implications for jurisdictions applying similar risk assessment protocols across different supervision settings. Our study examined whether violent recidivism predictions maintain their accuracy across youth custodial and community supervision contexts. We developed a predictive model using data from custodial youth (n = 790) and evaluated its performance among community-supervised youth (n = 766) in New South Wales, Australia. Two-year violent recidivism was higher in custody (37%) than in community supervision (27%). The model showed good discrimination in both custody (AUC 0.771, 95% CI: 0.735–0.807) and community settings (AUC 0.728, 95% CI: 0.685–0.770). While adjusting the baseline hazard improved absolute risk prediction, optimal performance across the risk spectrum required additional adjustments to the linear predictor. This suggests that the strength and pattern of risk factor relationships may vary across different settings; therefore, statistical adjustments may be necessary when applying predictions across various contexts.

In the past decades, Europe has been shocked repeatedly by terrorist crimes. This has led to an influx of suspects and convicts of terrorism in the prison system. The aim of this study is to provide insight into socio-demographic, psychopathological and criminal background characteristics of convicted violent extremists. Retrospective analyses were conducted on primary source data from 82 convicts in Dutch prison terrorism wings. Results showed that violent extremists are a heterogeneous group regarding socio-demographic characteristics. About 60% of the population had previously been convicted of ordinary crimes and a third suffered from a mental disorder. To gain more insight into violent extremists, additional research is needed into motivational and other risk factors. The latter is a necessary step to improve the identification, risk assessment, and effective treatment of violent extremists.

Prison data collection is a labyrinthine infrastructure. This article engages with debates around the political potentials and limitations of transparency as a form of “accountability,” specifically as it relates to carceral management and data gathering. We examine the use of OASys, a widely used risk assessment tool in the British prison system, in order to demonstrate how transparency operates as a means of legitimating prison data collection and ensuing penal management. Prisoner options to resist their file, or “data double,” in this context are considered and the decisive role of OASys as an immediately operationalized technical structure is outlined. We demonstrate that the political and managerial logics that underpin OASys heavily shape and structurally limit the terrain on which any individual might challenge their carceral administration. Ultimately, we argue that, in this context, transparency itself forecloses broader notions of radical and systemic change by inviting individuals into the creation of their own data double, and thus the legitimation of their own penal management and the forms of procedural justice offered by the prison estate. Finally, implications from this case for broader debates about transparency-as-accountability are explored.

Background Court-ordered forensic psychiatry treatments (COT) are specifically designed to reduce the risk of violence in mentally disordered offenders. Given their high costs and ethical issues, mental health professionals need admission criteria to be able to select those candidates with optimal benefit. This study analyses offender-related and treatment-related determinants of COT outcome and risk mitigation. Methods This two-year longitudinal study assessed the evolution of 117 adult offenders admitted to a specialized medium-security forensic psychiatry clinic. Treatment outcome included court-ordered discharge locations and the Historical Clinical Risk Management (HCR) score evolution. Treatment progress was assessed every six months across five time-points including measures of protective factors, work rehabilitation and security. Outcome determinants included psychiatric diagnosis and type of offence. Results Discharge locations are predicted by pre-treatment risk level. Lower HCR scores are associated with discharge into low-security psychiatry wards independently of the psychiatric diagnosis. Risk reduction follows diagnosis-specific and offense-related patterns and reveals that mentally disordered offenders with Cluster B personality disorders or those sentenced for drug crimes are significantly less prone to benefit from COT. Conclusions Our findings indicate that criminological characteristics at baseline as well as diagnosis of personality disorders are the main determinants of treatment outcome in our care setting. Inmates with concomitant higher violence risk at baseline and presence of Cluster B personality disorders might benefit the least from court-ordered forensic inpatient psychiatric care in prison.

Introduction. While studying recidivism prediction, criminal risk assessment is considered in many countries a mandatory procedure. The paper presents the most widely known and frequently applied risk assessment tools. Special attention is paid to predicted risk assessment tools for individuals released in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan. Taking into account the emerging tradition of using these risk assessment tools for practical purposes and the opportunities for conducting relevant research, much attention is paid to reviewing the tools used abroad. The purpose of the study is to provide the theoretical grounds for recidivism risk assessment tools, as well as the analysis of foreign experience in application and verification of this tool. Research methods. The research uses general scientific methods: (analysis, synthesis, systematization, generalization, analogy), special methods: comparative (when studying tools for assessing the risk of recidivism), formal legal (for the study of normative legal acts). Results. The research demonstrates a wide range of approaches and patterns in the area of criminal behavior risk assessment. Criminal behavior risk assessment tools were classified, and they can be summarised in a historical perspective into four generations according to chronology. The first and least reliable approach is to assess the risk of recidivism based on the clinical opinion of professionals. At this stage the measurement was characterised by its subjectivity. The second generation was based on actuarial valuation using reliable statistical predictors and significance levels for recidivism. The third generation tended to combine risk factors based on the theory of static risk assessment. The fourth generation of tools is based on the understanding that risk should be assessed as a continuous and dynamic process related to both the risk itself and the needs and resources of the individual. This approach considers that offenders’ supervision in post-penitentiary probation is an effective means of successful risk assessment based on their individual psychological characteristics and resources.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Prison needle exchange programs (PNEPs) are evidence-based, cost-effective interventions that prevent transmission of blood-borne viruses. PNEPs were introduced in a minority of Canadian federal prisons in 2018; however, participation is contingent on a mandatory approval process known as a "Threat Risk Assessment" (TRA). Although the TRA seeks to protect institutional safety and staff well-being, it has delayed access and restricted program participation. We aimed to explore prison administrators' perceptions of the TRA, including its goals and potential alternatives, within the broader PNEP policy objective of facilitating access to clean needles/syringes for people who inject drugs in prison. DESIGN AND SETTING Qualitative analysis using semi-structured interviews across nine Canadian federal prisons with PNEPs. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-seven institutional heads, including Wardens, Assistant Wardens of Operations and Chiefs of Health Services. MEASUREMENTS Matland's Ambiguity-Conflict model informed this analysis. FINDINGS Institutional heads largely described the TRA as a security tool, a clear goal consistent with low ambiguity, but whose aims often conflicted with PNEP goals of low-threshold access, placing implementation in a high conflict-low ambiguity political implementation paradigm. In this paradigm, top-down decision making, underpinned by carceral logic and moral hazard framing, prioritizes institutional security over public health. Many also perceived the TRA's function as symbolic, primarily to appease labour partners and demonstrate due diligence to external bodies, an interpretation that increases ambiguity around the TRA's true purpose consistent with high conflict-high ambiguity implementation. Participants proposed two pragmatic alternatives to reduce conflict: re-assigning the TRA to Health through a more bottom-up decision making approach, characteristic of low conflict-high ambiguity experimentation implementation; and streamlining the current TRA process within Operations, consistent with a low conflict-low ambiguity administrative implementation paradigm. A minority advocated to eliminate the TRA and grant automatic PNEP enrolment, aligning with community norms and international practice. CONCLUSION Within Canadian federal prisons, the "Threat Risk Assessment" (TRA) appears to be a structural process obstacle within the prison needle exchange program (PNEP) policy that fails to provide low threshold access to PNEPs due to the prioritization of institutional safety at the cost of public health. Alternative options to the current TRA process clarify actionable levels for policy refinement that preserve safety, improve access and better align with evidence and public health goals.

We aimed to externally validate the Oxford Risk of Recidivism (OxRec) tool to estimate 1- and 2-year risk of violent reoffending in people released from prison in England. We identified individuals using administrative data shared between official prison and police services. We extracted information on criminal history, clinical and sociodemographic risk predictors, and outcomes. Predictive ability was examined using measures of calibration and discrimination for predetermined risk thresholds. In total, 1770 individuals (median age = 33 [IQR 27–40]; 92% were male) were identified. 31% and 43% reoffended within 1 and 2 years, respectively. Discrimination was good, with AUCs of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.69-0.74) for 1 year and 0.71 (0.68-0.74) for 2-year follow up. At a pre-specified threshold of 40% for 2-year risk, sensitivity was 77% (74%–80%), specificity 54% (51%–58%), PPV 56% (53%–59%) and NPV 76% (73%–79%). Simple model validation found a systematic underestimation of the probability of reoffending. However, after updating the model, calibration was good. External validations of risk assessment tools can be conducted using linked data between prison and police, and may require recalibration before implementation. In this validation, OxRec had good performance on discrimination and calibration measures. It can be considered to be used to improve decision-making about risk of serious offending and the allocation of resources.

In Canada, all federally incarcerated individuals are required to complete a number of actuarial risk assessments upon entering prison which influence the security level in which they are housed, opportunities to participate in rehabilitative services while incarcerated, and prospects for parole. While proponents of actuarial risk assessments—which make algorithmic decisions based on objective inputs—argue that such tools can reduce the influence of racial and gender bias in carceral decision making, others argue that they may perpetuate or exacerbate racial and gender inequality. The extent to which racial and gender disparities exist in the outcomes of the actuarial risk assessments used in federal Canadian prisons is largely unknown. Using newly available data, we characterize racial and gender disparities in the outcomes of actuarial risk assessments used in Canadian prisons and their relationship to outcomes. We find significant racial differences in risk assessment scores that leave Black and Indigenous Canadians worse off than their white counterparts, important differences for all racial groups in the treatment of women, and evidence suggestive of racial bias in parole and housing decisions.

This paper considers the African communal ethic of Ubuntu as it is understood in the South African context. Its background and context and the various interpretations of this lived ethic in society and academia will be explored. According to Ubuntu, what is good is constituted by how one relates to others (affirming others, empathising, etc.). It is not an ethic that is purely governed by laws and the outcomes of actions. This paper considers the detrimental effect of gangsterism on prisoners’ personal and social development in South African prisons and illustrates how the solidarity and identity of prisoners is merely an illusion that misguidedly resembles communal harmony or Ubuntu. Specifically, after pointing out how indigenous values in South Africa tend to prescribe honouring harmonious relationships, this paper will reveal how this approach to morality affects the way one understands prison conditions, prison relations and criminal justice. It advances that the values of Ubuntu have the potential to aid in prisoner rehabilitation and help prisoners stand against gang life in prison. This paper will suggest that the harmony found in Ubuntu has implications different from gang conformity. Lacking the space to systematically defend harmony as a fundamental value, it nonetheless urges theorists not to disregard it when considering prison transformation in South Africa. The intention of this study is not to demonstrate that Ubuntu is superior to the more popular Western moral theories in South Africa, but rather to tease out the implications of one plausible interpretation of Ubuntu and apply it to prison communities in South Africa.

ABSTRACT Consensual same-sex relations and transgender expression are prohibited in Malawi. In-depth interviews (eight professionals, 30 former prisoners) were conducted to garner unique insights into the dynamics and complexities of prison conditions, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission, same-sex sexual activity and sexual violence. Reflexive thematic analysis yielded six themes: Covert same sex sexual activity behind the walls of the Malawi Prison System; Survival-based sexual transactions; Consensual and forced same-sex sexual activity; Sexual urges and crossing the homosexual Rubicon; Health consequences; and Inadequate and insufficient vocational development and rehabilitation. The government is recommended to repeal its laws and improve standards of detention (safety, space, food), healthcare and provide trauma-informed rehabilitation/reintegration for all. Advocacy efforts are warranted to scale up the HIV comprehensive package. PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENT The Malawi prison system is advised to resource, deliver and scale up the United Nations HIV comprehensive package of 15 interventions in order to uphold the humane treatment of prisoners and protect them from sexual violence and sexually transmitted infections.

Parallel to the growing knowledge on the principles of effective treatment of offenders, during the last two decades, there has been significant development in the field of risk assessment. However, there is little research on the use of standardized risk assessment procedures in practice. The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between the individual level of risk and characteristics of the treatment of inmates in the Tuzla Semi-Open Correctional Facility. The sample consisted of 67 inmates of both sexes (70.1% male and 22.9% female), aged from 24 to 67 (M = 40.60; SD = 10.81). Data was collected by analyzing the official records. Results of this study reveals few differences in the treatment of inmates according to their risk level. Statistically significant differences were recorded in 2 of 12 treatment characteristics, namely, an internal classification and the frequency of the individual meeting with a counsellor. These findings indicate the obstacles in the implementation of risk assessment in routine practice.Keywords:inmates, risk assessment, treatment, prison sentence

PURPOSE Rates of self-harm are elevated in prison, and there is limited evidence to support the efficacy of brief risk screening at reception to predict and prevent self-harm. This study aims to examine the predictive validity of the self-harm/suicide screening items embedded in a prison mental health screening tool from two key domains strongly associated with risk: previous suicidal/self-harm behaviour, and recent ideation. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH A sample of men and women were screened on entry to prison, with eight screening items covering the two key domains of risk. Follow-up data on self-harm incidents were collected for 12 months post-screening. The predictive validity of individual screening items, item combinations and cumulative screening score was examined for the overall sample and for men and women separately. FINDINGS Individual screening items across the two domains were all strongly associated with self-harm in the follow-up period, with odds ratios varying from 2.34 to 9.24. The predictive validity of both individual items, item scores and item combinations demonstrated high specificity but low to moderate sensitivity, and modest area under the curves (AUCs). Predictive validity was generally better for men than women; however, differences were not statistically significant. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Identifying those at risk of self-harm in prisons remains challenging and brief universal screening at prison entry should be only one component of a broader prison risk assessment and management strategy. ORIGINALITY/VALUE To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is one of very few to prospectively examine self-harm behaviour following risk screening. Predictive validity was examined in a representative sample of individuals in custody, and for men and women separately.

No abstract available

The present study uses a prospective longitudinal research design to examine whether previously identified risk factors for prison interpersonal violence can predict violent prison misconduct in Northern Ireland (NI). Administrative data drawn from the records of 429 adult males imprisoned on November 22, 2017 were used to predict involvement in violent prison misconduct during a 1-year follow-up period. The results revealed that only a small number of previously identified risk factors were found to be significant in the NI context. Nationality, neighborhood deprivation, history of addiction, submission of prison complaints, past involvement in prison misconduct, and number of incarcerations emerged as significant, while religion, head injury/epilepsy, property offences, and prison visits were significant at the marginal level. Given the variation in risk factors identified as significant in the NI context compared to previous research, it is argued that cultural context matters when attempting to generalize the risk factors for prison interpersonal violence from one jurisdiction to another. These results offer some support for the importation theory, although it should be noted that the inclusion of prison environmental factors was limited due to the nature of the data. It is argued that specialist services and supports should be provided to address the factors contributing to interpersonal prison violence, including interventions to improve feelings of fairness, identify and treat underlying medical issues, as well as support visitation.

Prison officials often rely on restrictive housing to promote institutional safety and security. However, a growing body of research indicates this type of confinement has little impact on inmate behavior or institutional order. An alternative approach involves providing the most dangerous and disruptive inmates with increased case management services and other proactive programmatic opportunities. The success of this strategy requires an ability to prospectively and accurately identify the most problematic inmates. The results of this study indicate that Risk Assessment for Segregation Placement (RASP) and its revised Oregon version (RASP-OR) are valid predictors of segregation placement and institutional misconduct. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.

The aim of the article is to analyze the features of personnel formation and study the activities of prison camp courts in Krasnoyarsk Krai from their creation in 1945 to their abolition in 1954. The source base for the study was documents from the State Archive of the Russian Federation and the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History, which were introduced into scientific discourse for the first time. Krasnoyarsk Krai was the location of a large number of prison camps and colonies, and three prison camp courts were initially organized there: the Krasnoyarsk Department of Correctional Labor Camps and Colonies (UITLiK) in Krasnoyarsk; the Krasnoyarsk Correctional Labor Camp (Kraslag) in Kansk; the Norilsk Correctional Labor Camps and Colonies (Norillag) in Norilsk. In 1951, another prison camp court was organized under the management of the Yeniseistroi of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. The natural and geographical conditions of the region created serious obstacles to the organization of the activities of judicial bodies, including prison camp courts. It was difficult to transport the defendants from the crime scene to the location of the prison camp court. The distances from most of the prison camp sites to Krasnoyarsk, Kansk or Norilsk were hundreds of kilometers. The formation of the personnel of the prison camp courts was hampered by the lack of specialists with higher and secondary legal education. The newly appointed chairmen of the courts were given the right to choose their own subordinates; however, both leaders of the regional department of the People's Commissariat of Justice and the chairman of the regional court did not help them, since they did not have available personnel. The personnel issue of the prison camp courts of the region was resolved only with the help of the People's Commissariat of Justice of the USSR, whose auditor appointed members of the prison camp courts in an appearance order. The most common crime among prisoners was escape. The small number and poor training of guards contributed to the growth of this type of crime. The number of escapes decreased significantly after the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated March 27, 1953, as a result of which the number of prisoners decreased. The prison camp courts had to deal with a large number of cases of banditry. In the post-war period, places of detention were engulfed by a wave of violence: many prisoners were injured or died, so the courts acted extremely harshly towards camp bandits. Prison camp courts were abolished on April 29, 1954. Being created in a hurry, they did not solve their tasks. Trials revealed conditions that led to crimes, but camp administrations did not have resources to overcome these shortcomings. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

Reducing self-harm and violence continues to be a priority for His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). When individuals engage in both harmful behaviours, this is known as dual harm. Although a plethora research has explored reduction strategies for self-harm and violence separately, there have been limited studies addressing dual harm behaviours. This study aimed to identify themes that contribute to the reduction of dual harm among adult males living in prison. This study utilised a qualitative approach, involving semi-structured interviews with 12 adult male prisoners residing in a Long-Term High Security prison in England who had engaged in dual harm behaviours. Three interlinking themes were developed that appear salient in the reduction of dual harm risk: a decent and safe environment; relational connections; and personal growth. These themes were interconnected, with no one theme more salient than the other. Within each contributing factor, sub-themes were developed, offering a holistic view of dual harm reduction. These results highlight the relationship between the individual and organisational processes that support them in developing the skills to reduce their risk of dual harm. To support the reduction of dual harm, prisons require systematic changes to enhance the environment, support the relational connections between staff, prisoners and the prisoners support networks, enabling the development of the individual skills to manage the pains of imprisonment, and ultimately make lasting pro-social changes.

This study investigated the independent effects of security level on rates of violent misconduct, and other forms of misconduct in Federal prison. With first-time federally incarcerated people, this study tested the effect of security level in a sharp intention-to-treat regression discontinuity to separate the effect from individual characteristics. Higher security was independently associated with higher rates of violent misconduct at medium (vs. low) and high (vs. medium) security. This study refers to this result as an “inflator effect.” Policy implications are discussed in the wake of the ban on Federal private prisons, and implications for risk assessment design are discussed.

This explorative empirical study examined patterns of repeated severe prison violence within a cohort of 350 detainees admitted to the Dutch high-security "Violence Facility" for uncontrollably violent detainees, aiming to identify detainee characteristics predicting severe prison violence recidivism. Data were derived from judicial reports, imprisonment registrations, and criminal records. Proportional hazards regressions were used to assess prison violence recidivism risk up to 7.5 years post-discharge by examining detainee factors related to crime history, psychopathological diagnoses, and historical and clinical violence-related risk factors. Almost 30% of detainees were re-admitted to the Violence Facility, indicating recurrent severe prison violence. A pattern of rebelliousness and non-compliance emerged as a pre-existing and persistent trait. Additionally significant were recent social functioning, treatment motivation, and daytime activity engagement in predicting prison violence recidivism. Findings enhance understanding of the persistence and predictors of prison violence, yielding implications for risk management and violence prevention in correctional settings.

This research focuses on the innovative application of Knowledge Graph technology in the field of prison safety management. By integrating the two core scenarios of criminal mental health risk assessment and on-site rescue intelligent early warning, a multi-dimensional data fusion intelligent management system is constructed. The study first combs the theoretical foundations of criminal psychological trace analysis, knowledge graph construction, and mental health assessment, and then designs a knowledge graph model including eight categories of core data such as criminal basic information, behavioral dynamics, and environmental data. On this basis, an intelligent early warning system with dynamic risk assessment, intelligent path planning, and multi-department collaborative command is constructed, and the significant effectiveness of the system in improving the accuracy of risk identification and rescue response efficiency is verified through real prison data. The research results show that Knowledge Graph technology can effectively integrate multi-source heterogeneous data, provide predictive and real-time intelligent decision support for prison safety management, and offer an innovative technical path for the construction of smart prisons.

Dynamic security has become the foundation of efforts to prevent violence in prisons around the world. This article discusses the meaning of the term and how it has been operationalized in practice, before identifying several issues that relate to when, where, and how it might be relied upon to support safer living and working environments. We conclude that, despite its presence in contemporary correctional policy and practice, dynamic security sits in a quasi-professional space without a clear governance approach (the absence of professional standards, regulation, and consistent training) which results in inconsistent application. Prison administrators will inevitably face significant obstacles in any efforts to introduce a culture that prioritizes dynamic security in the absence of ongoing research and practice development.

The Norwegian Correctional Service ascribes to both a humane and rehabilitative approach to incarceration which includes the use of dynamic security practices, emphasizing relationship-building and communication between officers and incarcerated individuals. In addition, officers are expected to actively participate in the rehabilitative process. Despite Norway’s low rates of prison-based violence, there remain questions about officers’ ability to implement dynamic security and contribute to therapeutic goals. The current study explores perspectives about dynamic security and officer relationships using a questionnaire (n = 81) and semi-structured interview (n = 47) data from individuals incarcerated at Halden Prison in Norway. Findings indicate that officers have generally attained authoritative legitimacy through dynamic security, but their participation in the rehabilitative process is met with resistance stemming from prison culture expectations of officers’ role in enacting State punishment. Results from this study provide meaningful insights into the role of dynamic security implementation and the contributions of correctional officers to the rehabilitative process.

This contribution examines how the growing digitization of prisons reconfigures proximity, the corerelational dynamic between staff and incarcerated persons, by transforming how closeness is experienced, enacted, and bounded. Drawing on ethnographic research in Belgian prisons, it analyses how digital infrastructures such as in-cell phones, tablets, and prison platforms reshape the interactional fabric of detention. The contribution conceptualises proximity across three dimensions - spatial, relational, and experiential - and demonstrates how each is altered by the rise of digital tools. While digitization enhances efficiency and autonomy, it simultaneously erodes the informal, embodied, and affective exchanges that underpin dynamic security and humane prison life. Officers’ discretion is redefined as their work shifts from “street-level” to “screen-level” bureaucracy, producing what we term proximity without presence. We further highlight the emergence of new inequalities in digital access and competence among both staff and incarcerated persons. It concludes with policy recommendations for integrating technology in ways that preserve relational knowledge, face-to-face contact, and the legitimacy of prison authority. Ultimately,digitization does not simply modernise imprisonment: it rewrites its relational core.

ABSTRACT While Canadian policymakers have significantly embraced the principle of prison normalization (i.e. the idea that life inside prison should be as similar as possible to life outside of prison and that no rights, aside from the restriction of movement, should be curtailed), correctional workers at provincial institutions struggle with its implementation. Based on the answers of a survey administered to 742 correctional officers, probation agents, and other correctional staff members, this study explores how Canadian provincial institutions’ workers feel about the principle of normalization in general and its translation into specific practices (particularly those related to dynamic security, healthy relationships, and the continuum of care). The article identifies the practices whose introduction would face the most resistance and suggests several reforms to achieve gradual change.

SUMMARY: Objective: The aim of the article is to interpret and deepen the understanding of the concept of "dynamic security" through the analysis of philosophical foundations. The article is an analysis of the phenomenon of dynamic security within the paradigm of time. The author hypothesizes that the essence of dynamic security is the protection against criminogenic factors. Methods: The research method used is a narrative review of the literature, which includes the analysis and synthesis of philosophical thought concerning security. The author examines how the contemporary understanding of the concept of dynamic security has developed through references to philosophical thought and concepts of war and peace. Starting the discussion with classical philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, their concepts of social harmony and justice were pointed out as the foundations of lasting security. The philosophy concept of just war by St. Thomas Aquinas, and the modern approaches of Niccolò Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes, who emphasized strong authority as a guarantor of social order, were presented. Kant's idea of perpetual peace was shown as a key element of the modern approach to security, and the discussion concludes with contemporary Christian philosophy. Results: The article emphasizes that dynamic security can be analyzed in two dimensions: personal, which relates to the protection of an individual's life and health and their rehabilitation, and structural, which concerns mechanisms ensuring social stability and minimizing the risk of destabilization. In the context of philosophical foundations, key factors influencing the deeper anchoring of the meaning of dynamic security were identified. The author emphasizes that an effective approach to dynamic security requires synergy between control, prevention, and rehabilitation. Conclusion: The article emphasizes that dynamic security is a historically shaped concept that integrates the principles of control, prevention, and rehabilitation. The author notes that future research should focus on how dynamic security can play a fundamental role in the context of individual dignity and human rights. Originality: The article brings a new perspective to the discussion on dynamic security, highlighting its significance in the context of contemporary challenges related to the penal system, and the indicated philosophical foundations allow anchoring the phenomenon in the subject literature. The author shows the spectrum of possibilities that this concept can bring to modern penology. Keywords: dynamic security, philosophy of security, prison management, rehabilitation, political philosophy.

This study evaluates the New Bilibid Prison’s (NBP) Security and Safety Management Program, highlighting internal and external challenges such as overcrowding, contraband smuggling, gang violence, and employee misconduct. These issues undermine the program’s effectiveness and call for strategic corrective measures to foster a safer rehabilitation environment. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study surveyed 300 Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) personnel across four NBP camps – Maximum, Medium, Minimum Security, and the Reception and Diagnostic Center. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis, while qualitative insights were drawn from in-depth interviews with Corrections Officers. Key indicators assessed included congestion, staff misconduct, gang activity, and technological limitations. Findings revealed that congestion, corruption, and contraband proliferation are perceived as serious threats. Implemented corrective actions include regular drug testing, personnel rotation, and technological upgrades. Despite these efforts, challenges such as understaffing and inadequate infrastructure persist. The study recommends increasing personnel, enhancing technological systems (e.g., cell phone jammers, drone detection), and strengthening ethical standards and transparency. These improvements aim to bolster institutional security and support effective rehabilitation. The research contributes to ongoing reforms in the Philippine correctional system, aligning NBP operations with international best practices.

This article discusses the program to optimize the recording and reporting of security disturbances at the Class IIB Siborongborong Prison. The main goal of the program is to have a positive impact, especially on Correctional Assisted Citizens. Through activities such as socialization and counseling, observation, coordination with mentors/supervisors, program design, and activity preparation, this program aims to maximize security through the optimization of the security disturbance recording and reporting system. The method used is a qualitative approach, which focuses on a deep understanding of phenomena in the field to research on the conditions of natural objects such as behavior, perception, motivation, action and others, holistically by involving observation, analysis, and determining solutions to overcome existing problems.

Management is a complex process in which managers carry out both operational and stra-tegic activities aimed at ensuring the safety and stability of an organization’s functioning. In the context of correctional facilities, assessing the efficiency of this process takes on particular significance, as the effectiveness of management affects not only the organiza-tion’s performance but also the safety of staff, inmates, and society. Inefficient management can lead to a decline in resource quality, increased risk of conflicts, breaches of security procedures, and threats to all involved parties. Therefore, analyzing this criterion is not only a theoretical challenge but also a key element in ensuring the safe and effective opera-tion of correctional facilities. The aim of this article is to present the criterion of efficiency in the resource management process in correctional facilities, with particular emphasis on safety aspects. The theoretical part describes the basic issues related to management effi-ciency, defining the concept in the context of essential management processes in the prison service, with an emphasis on aspects of security and risk management. The research part, on the other hand, includes a survey analysis conducted using an original questionnaire, covering a group of 91 officers holding managerial and executive positions. Differences in the assessment of management efficiency, particularly in the area of decision-making and security procedures, were evaluated using the Friedman ANOVA test. The results indicate that the most efficiently assessed aspect was managerial decision-making based on esta-blished procedures, which is crucial for ensuring operational security. The obtained data allow for drawing conclusions regarding the structure of management efficiency and indi-cate the need for further development of processes to increase both security and operatio-nal effectiveness functioning of penitentiary units.

The correctional system has undergone changes due to the emergence of the Minister of Law and Human Rights regarding the implementation of correctional revitalization which provides classification of prisons which has an impact on the existence of prisons with categories for placing high risk prisoners. One of them is the Super Maximum Security (SMAX) Class IIA Karang Anyar Nusakambangan Prison for placement of high classification prisoners. This has an impact on the problem of not being able to grant conditional rights to prisoners who do not reduce their risk of crime until they have finished serving their sentence. The aim of the research is to analyze the governance of the SMAX Class IIA Karang Anyar Penitentiary in realizing a correctional revitalization program to improve training for high risk prisoners. The research method uses descriptive qualitative research with informants from prison officers and high-risk prisoners in prison. The results of the analysis show that prison management with a revitalization program has an impact on limiting the granting of conditional rights, there is no maximum guidance carried out by the prison, guidance for high risk prisoners must involve other parties such as the National Counterterrorism Agency, the National Narcotics Agency, the Corruption Eradication Agency, and other parties who have an interest in it. Thus, it is necessary to provide appropriate guidance for high-risk prisoners to be able to change their behavior and obtain their conditional rights. Providing this guidance by applying the principles of planning, organizing, regulating and strictly monitoring during the process of changing behavior and coaching prisoners.

Research on the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) has overwhelmingly focused on male correctional institutions, neglecting female ones. Sexual violence is also of concern within female prisons, and the need arises to understand whether PREA is achieving the goal of eradicating sexual misconduct in prisons housing women, or if the policy is having unintended effects. Based on results from surveys collected from women (N = 369) incarcerated in a Southeastern U.S. prison, both positive and negative aspects of the act were cited. In terms of the former, the legislation resulted in improvements to prison climate, yet for negatives, participants noted how PREA was being weaponized by staff and peers against other incarcerated women via false allegations. Policy implications are discussed.

This article reviews the evolution of the legal framework and policy basis of the prison system in socialist China. The discussion will also trace the dual goals in the implementation of prison sentences, i.e., punishment and reformation. Stability and security have been the top priority in China’s prison management. Commensurate with the scheme, recent prison reform initiatives include several legal and policy reforms to institutionalise and professionalise prison management. On the one hand, reforms set out to separate the administration of prison finances from prison-run enterprises. On the other hand, the Ministry of Justice reconfigures the reformation programs to encourage the attitudinal compliance of inmates. However, the inextricable links between security and compliance might inflame tensions over the preservation of stability/security and the cultivation of inmates’ autonomy/independence.

The aim of the article is to present the specifics of evacuation following an emergency event in the practice of the Prison Service.The article was written based on the author’s experience while working in the prison service, as well as the document analysis.The Prison Service is an elaborate organization, so its logistic service is a complex process. The primary task is the transportation of prisoners. The transportation process consists of executive activities, as well as organizational and service activities. It is essential that prisoners are transported in a way that prevents escaping from the transport and ensures the safety of all participants of the transport. Special vehicles of various configurations are used for this purpose. An additional process for the SW logistics is procurement, which requires the delivery of a range of goods and products.Penitentiary institutions need efficient logistical operations in order to carry out the tasks they were assigned. If the transportation system is not working properly, then the risk of not fulfilling the statutory requirements increases significantly. However, the risks are broader and may involve a greater likelihood of a successful assault on a convoy or a convict escaping from transport. In addition, low supply efficiency leads to material shortages and impedes the efficient operation of units. Thus, the Prison Service must ensure proper logistical processes without which it is impossible to achieve both the stability and efficiency of operations, as well as the safety of officers and inmates.

The presence in Spanish prisons of individuals linked with jihadist terrorism has alerted the authorities to the risk that these prisoners may pose as agents for radicalization and the establishment of organizational structures inside prisons. To address this risk, Spanish authorities have used similar policies to those applied to prisoners belonging to the Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) terrorist group, subjecting jihadist prisoners to a restrictive detention regime. Based on the data obtained from analysis of the judicial proceedings of 264 individuals imprisoned for jihadist acts and information from the questionnaires completed by 60 prison officers in direct contact with those persons, this article considers whether it is appropriate to indiscriminately apply a high security regime to these types of prisoners.

This Article discusses faith-based prison programs that immerse prisoners living in residential units within a prison in a religious atmosphere. Part One analyzes the constitutionality of these programs under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. It notes that state action in the prison context receives more deference from courts than outside the prison context, and that prisoners' constitutional rights are more constricted than free persons" Part I proceeds to analyze the constitutionality of faith immersion programs in prisons, in light of the Supreme Court's precedents dealing with prisoners' rights and the Establishment Clause. States can defend immersion programs on the grounds that these programs are reasonably related to several important penological objectives, including the interests in reducing recidivism rates, protecting institutional security, promoting the aims of restorative justice, and accommodating inmates' religious needs. In addition, the immersion programs can be constructed in ways that meet the "voluntariness" and "neutrality" requirements subsumed within the Establishment Clause. Part II of this Article discusses how religious immersion programs in prison can best be structured to survive First Amendment challenges. Part II proposes several important features of an immersion program that will likely enable it to survive or avoid Establishment Clause challenges: prisoners must be fully informed about the nature and requirements of an immersion program before they enter it; prisoners must be allowed to freely chose whether or not to enter such a program, and should not face a penalty either for deciding not to enter the program or for attempting to exit the program; prisons must adopt policies and training regimens designed to ensure that immersion programs continue to comply with the commands of the Establishment Clause; prisons must not allow conditions in a faith-based section of a prison to diverge too widely from conditions in sections of the prison with a comparable security level; and prison officials ought to allow the religious aspects of an immersion program to be conducted largely by individuals from the private sector, rather than government employees. Part II concludes that, properly constructed, immersion programs hold substantial promise to advance penological objectives while surviving constitutional challenges.

BACKGROUND The importation model holds that inmate behaviour is a function of behaviours and thought patterns offenders bring with them into prison from the community. It may also be that offenders export behaviours and thought patterns they develop or refine in prison when they return to the community. AIMS The purpose of this study was to determine whether an increase in reactive criminal thinking in prisoners predicts recidivism following release. METHODS A sample of 282 male prisoners housed in a medium security federal facility completed the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) at the beginning and end of a 10-week therapy group and were eventually released back to the community. RESULTS The results of a Cox proportional hazards survival analysis revealed that prisoners who experienced a rise in reactive criminal thinking over the course of the 10-week group were significantly more likely to recidivate than prisoners who did not display an increase in reactive criminal thinking, controlling for several factors, including prior arrests. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that growth in reactive criminal thinking during incarceration portends poor outcomes upon release from prison. This suggests that a lack of critical thinking, potentially attributable to a rise in reactive criminal thinking during incarceration, may interfere with a person's ability to reintegrate safely and effectively into society once they are released from prison.

Concerns about prison-based organised crime have gained increasing prominence and are now embedded in broader strategies to combat organised criminal networks. In the Netherlands, the issue has risen on the political agenda in the wake of high-profile violent incidents outside prison orchestrated by prisoners. This article examines how prison-based organised crime is framed and governed within the Dutch prison system. Drawing on interviews with 46 (deputy) prison directors from all prisons in the Netherlands, the analysis explores the discursive construction of organised crime as a ruthless, elusive, and ever-present threat. These framings give rise to a high-security logic that legitimises far-reaching control measures, often with significant implications for the rights and liberties of prisoners. Building on the concept of violent capital, the article shows how such measures may not only contain but also reproduce forms of crime and power within prison. The findings highlight a fundamental tension between security and rehabilitation, and point to the (collateral) consequences of governing through exceptionalism.

Abstract This qualitative study explores prison officers’ perceptions of Ghana’s prisons, focusing on Ankaful Maximum Security Prison, to assess whether these institutions function primarily as rehabilitation centers or breeding grounds for reoffending. Using an interpretive phenomenological analysis grounded in labeling and social control theories, the research captures the lived experiences of prison officers. Findings reveal a complex interplay between the official rehabilitative mandate and persistent systemic challenges such as overcrowding, insufficient resources, limited training, and societal stigma. Officers acknowledge the ideal of reform but highlight structural and social barriers that undermine rehabilitation and contribute to recidivism. The prison environment and social dynamics often reinforce criminal identities, while societal rejection further impedes reintegration. The study concludes that Ghanaian prisons currently fall short of their rehabilitative potential, functioning more as environments that perpetuate reoffending. Recommendations include enhancing officer training, expanding rehabilitation programs, addressing overcrowding through alternative sentencing, strengthening post-release support, and reducing stigma via community sensitization. These measures are vital for transforming Ghana’s prisons into effective correctional institutions that reduce reoffending and promote public safety.

The relationships between prison staff and people in prison are interesting in their formation and nature. Literature has examined different elements of these including when they become corrupted. Corruption in prisons impacts on the safety and security of staff and people in prison. This reflective piece discusses a collaborative project between a Forensic Psychological Service and prison Security Department to upskill staff around the psychological processes involved in corruption including the methods used and an evaluation of the project.

Overcrowding at the Class IIA Banceuy Prison has resulted in serious violations of inmates’ human rights, including the rights to health, security, and a decent standard of living. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of human rights-based correctional policies, such as assimilation programs, parole, and restorative justice, in responding to the impacts of overcrowding. Using a normative juridical approach and field data through observation and interviews, the study results indicate that these policies have had a positive impact, but their implementation remains hampered by complex administrative procedures, limited facilities, and a shortage of teachers and supervisors. Skills training programs have proven beneficial, but access remains limited. Collaboration with NGOs has helped provide counseling and health services, although they are not evenly distributed. This study recommends simplifying administrative procedures, increasing the budget for basic facilities, and expanding cross-sectoral collaboration, including with the business world and educational institutions. Furthermore, reform of penal policy through decriminalization and the widespread implementation of restorative justice is considered crucial to reducing the burden on prisons. The implications of this research underscore the need for a more humane, inclusive, and rights-oriented correctional approach to prisoners.

Abstract Issue/Problem Sexual crimes, including child sexual abuse, rape, and child pornography, represent a significant societal problem. Description: The treatment of perpetrators is not always effective, and there is a persistent risk of recidivism. To address this, risk and mental health specialists employ a process known as risk assessment, which evaluates the likelihood of offenders reoffending or causing harm. While widely applied in countries such as the USA, England, and Canada, risk assessment is not currently implemented in Greece. Results Risk assessment involves identifying risk factors—characteristics of offenders or offenses that increase the probability of sexual or general criminal recidivism. These are categorized as static factors, which are stable, and dynamic factors, which can change, such as attitudes or interests. Protective factors, such as self-control and empathy toward victims, are also increasingly considered. Assessments are conducted primarily by psychologists, social workers, and other mental health specialists within judicial and correctional systems. The results inform decisions regarding offender management, including sentencing, prison treatment programs, parole, and post-release supervision, such as registration in sex offender registries. Several evidence-based tools are used internationally to guide evaluations, including SVR-20, STATIC-99, SORAG, RRASOR, VASOR-2, MnSOST-R, SOTIPS, Stable 2007, and Acute-2007. Lessons These tools, combined with expert judgment, allow for the classification of offenders by risk level (low, medium, high), facilitating targeted intervention strategies. Given that risk assessment is largely unknown in Greece, introducing validated tools and training professionals in their use could improve offender management. Key messages • Drawing on international experience while considering the Greek judicial and correctional context, implementing risk assessment could enhance prevention strategies and reduce the recurrence of sexual offenses. Topic sex offenders, risk assessment, recidivism, sexual crimes

Under the theme of violence reduction and prevention, this article outlines the current HMPPS approach to risk assessment and risk management/interventions for individuals identified as being at risk of being drawn into terrorism, but convicted of other types of offences. First, this article provides an overview of the relevant literature and research which underpins the current approach of assessments and interventions in this space. Second, this article outlines the principles and processes that come with assessing and then working with this cohort, particularly given the sensitivities as these individuals are not convicted for terrorist offending. It looks at the importance of ‘buy in’ from different staffing groups and people in prison/on probation, developing a collaborative approach to support informed consent. Other sensitivities outlined include issues around labelling and stigmatisation with this cohort and how this can be managed. Third, this article discusses the approach taken, the considerations that are made including the limitations, and how this work is evaluated. Examples of this are the importance of considering sequencing with other assessments and interventions with a focus of prioritising risk reduction and a focus on how to evidence the assessments and interventions are achieving their aims. To conclude, the article summarises the current landscape and outlines future directions for increasing our understanding of this cohort and how best to divert them from being drawn into terrorism.

TAs a research method, a literature study was conducted focusing on the 'Recidivism Risk Assessment Tool for Adults Subject to Probation' (KPRAI-R), which is used by the Crime Prevention Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Justice. In particular, the classification of probation subjects was divided into 'initial classification' and 'reclassification', and the limitations of each were derived, and the necessity of using artificial intelligence was divided into initial classification and reclassification and considered. Through this, it was proposed to improve the initial classification and reclassification through the establishment of an 'artificial intelligence (AI)-based automatic classification system'. As for the specific improvement measures, first, in relation to the initial classification, ① a more sophisticated AI-based classification system was derived by combining the information analyzed during the initial classification with the evaluation method of the recidivism risk assessment tool (KPRAI-R), ② the career and A plan to use artificial intelligence to minimize the deviation according to inclination and expertise was presented. Second, in relation to reclassification, ① prepare an artificial intelligence-based automatic reclassification system based on post-mortem information analysis after the start of probation, ② prepare an alarm system to automatically recognize the risk of recidivism and prevent recidivism by analyzing additional information collected during probation presented.

This study examines whether situational characteristics of incidents involving inmates and correctional staff are related to the occurrence of inmate-on-staff assaults. The analyses compare assaultive and non-assaultive incidents at an all-male, maximum security prison. The results of logistic regression models show that several situational characteristics (time, location, behavior of inmates, and actions taken by staff) differentiate between inmate-on-staff assaults and non-assaultive incidents. The results suggest that inmate-on-staff assaults can be reduced through the use of situational crime prevention, as well as training on signs indicating an assault is likely, the effective use of protective strategies, and de-escalation techniques.

No abstract available

Sentencing law reveals a tension between judges acknowledging connections between colonialism, criminalization, and imprisonment and using individual sanctions, alone, to address what they identify as the social and institutional dimensions of conflict and harm. This article illuminates the limits of individualized sentencing as a response to colonial oppression by looking closely at judicial engagement with risk assessment tools in the context of “dangerous offender” proceedings. Judges are making progress by holding the state accountable for ensuring that risk assessment tools accurately predict an Indigenous offender’s likelihood of being charged or convicted in the future and for implementing programs in prisons that provide Indigenous offenders with opportunities to change their risk scores. Judges are also acknowledging a well-established critique of these tools—the fact that they measure people’s experiences of oppression for which the state ultimately bears at least some accountability. Unfortunately, even when judges acknowledge that risk is at least partially constructed and maintained by relations of power, there is no concrete outcome available to address such an acknowledgment. The dangerous offender regime requires judges to prioritize public protection through individual sanctions, alone. This analysis leads the author to suggest that some form of authority for sentencing judges to directly assess state accountability for conflict, harm, and their prevention might give rise to decisions that more clearly and fittingly identify how safety can be facilitated by not only individuals but also the state.

The aim of this paper is to briefly present a theoretical background of risk assessment systems in prisons and their practice in Hungary. Besides presenting the theoretical framework, I will discuss the purpose and methodologicalframework of risk assessment for inmates and the main institutional approaches used in international practice. In the second part of the paper, I will present the national practice, its methodological specifics and institutional framework.

Many studies have demonstrated that the risk of suicide in prison is higher than in the general population. This study has two aims. First, to explore the risk of suicide in men sentenced in Andalusian prisons. And second, to study the sociodemographic, criminal and, especially, psychopathological factors associated with this risk. An assessment was made of 472 sentenced inmates in two Andalusian prisons, and included a sociodemographic interview, the IPDE personality disorders questionnaire, the SCID-I diagnostic interview (DSMIV), and the Plutchick suicide risk questionnaire. The interviewers were experienced clinical psychologists with training in prison environments. Adjusted ORs were calculated using a logistic regression. A risk of committing suicide was detected in 33.5% of the sample. The diagnoses (lifetime prevalence) of affective disorder (adjusted OR 3329), substance dependence disorders (adjusted OR 2733), personality disorders (adjusted OR 3115) and anxiety disorder (adjusted OR 1650), as well as a family psychiatric history (adjusted OR 1650), were the predictors that remained as risk factors after the regression analysis. No socio-demographic risk factor was significant in the regression analysis. The psychopathological variables are essential and the most powerful factors to explain suicide risk in prisons. A correct and systematic diagnosis, and an appropriate treatment by mental health professionals during the imprisonment are essential to prevent the risk of suicide.

Sickness presenteeism involves employees continuing to work while unwell. As presenteeism is influenced by contextual and individual difference factors, it is important to assess its prevalence and implications for wellbeing and productivity in different occupational groups. This study examines these issues in a sample of prison officers working in UK institutions. Data were obtained from a survey of 1956 prison officers. Measures assessed the prevalence of and reasons for presenteeism and the perceived impact on job performance, along with mental health and perceptions of workplace safety climate. More than nine respondents out of ten (92%) reported working while unwell at least sometimes, with 43% reporting that they always did so. Presenteeism frequency was significantly related to mental health symptoms, impaired job performance and a poorer workplace safety climate. The reasons provided for presenteeism explained 31% of the variance in self-reported mental health, 34% in job performance and 17% in workplace safety climate, but the pattern of predictors varied according to the outcome. The findings can be used to inform interventions at the organisational and individual levels to encourage a 'healthier' approach to sickness absence, with likely benefits for staff wellbeing, job performance and workplace safety climate.

Security designation tools are a key feature of all prisons in the United States, intended as objective measures of risk that funnel inmates into security levels-to prison environments varying in degree of intrusiveness, restriction, dangerousness, and cost. These tools are mostly (if not all) validated by measuring inmates on a set of characteristics, using scores from summations of that information to assign inmates to prisons of varying security level, and then observing whether inmates assumed more risky did in fact offend more. That approach leaves open the possibility of endogeneity--that the harsher prisons are themselves bringing about higher misconduct and thus biasing coefficients assessing individual risk. The current study assesses this potential bias by following an entry cohort of inmates to more than 100 facilities in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and exploiting the substantial variation in classification scores within a given prison that derive from systematic overrides of security-level designations for reasons not associated with risk of misconduct. By estimating pooled models of misconduct along with prison-fixed effects specifications, the data show that a portion of the predictive accuracy thought associated with the risk-designation tool used in BOP was a function of facility-level contamination (endogeneity).

Violence in correctional facilities is an important issue for both prisoners and prison staff. Risk assessment instruments have demonstrated their accuracy in predicting the risk of (re) offending and institutional violence in psychiatric settings, but less is known about their ability to predict violent misconduct in prison. The present study applied four risk assessment instruments (Structured Assessment of Protective Factors for violence risk, Historical Clinical Risk Management-20, Psychopathy checklist - Revised, and Violent Risk Appraisal Guide) to 52 violent offenders in a Swiss prison in order to evaluate the instruments' predictive validities. Outcomes were instances of physically violent, other and any misconduct as recorded in prison files during the 12 months following the prisoners' assessments. Approximately 15% of offenders committed physically violent misconduct and approximately 42% committed any misconduct. The results show that mainly dynamic assessment tools are as good predictors of physically violent misconduct as mainly static assessment tools. Targeting dynamic factors could increase the effectiveness of interventions to reduce the risk of physical violence in prison.

This article recommends the development of broad policies of preclusion regarding the use of incarceration for offenders who are highly unlikely to commit a violent crime in the future. The proposal builds on the new Model Penal Code: Sentencing's provision on the limited utilitarian purposes of incarceration. Such low-violence-risk-preclusion strategies (LVRPs) would stand on the most powerful predictive capabilities of today's risk assessment technology. If implemented properly, there is reason to believe that substantial drops in prison rates could be realized in most states. The preclusion groups would include defendants who should not be sent to prison or jail by sentencing judges even though the law allows for such penalties; those serving prison sentences who should be released by parole boards or other releasing authorities at the earliest opportunity; and probation and parole violators who should not be revoked to prison or jail. The strongest objection to the LVRP proposal is the fear of racial or other unacceptable biases in its apportionment of reduced-incarceration benefits. Given current high levels of disproportionality in prison and jail populations, however, there is reason to think that the benefits of LVRP would be especially pronounced in disadvantaged communities.

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Purpose Within-prison drug injection (WPDI) is a particularly high HIV risk behavior, yet has not been examined in Central Asia. A unique opportunity in Kyrgyzstan where both methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) and needle-syringe programs (NSP) exist allowed further inquiry into this high risk environment. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A randomly selected, nationally representative sample of prisoners within six months of release in Kyrgyzstan completed biobehavioral surveys. Inquiry about drug injection focused on three time periods (lifetime, 30 days before incarceration and during incarceration). The authors performed bivariate and multivariable generalized linear modeling with quasi-binomial distribution and logit link to determine the independent correlates of current WPDI. Findings Of 368 prisoners (13 percent women), 109 (35 percent) had ever injected drugs, with most (86 percent) reporting WPDI. Among those reporting WPDI, 34.8 percent had initiated drug injection within prison. Despite nearly all (95 percent) drug injectors having initiated MMT previously, current MMT use was low with coverage only reaching 11 percent of drug injectors. Two factors were independently correlated with WPDI: drug injection in the 30 days before the current incarceration (AOR=12.6; 95%CI=3.3-48.9) and having hepatitis C infection (AOR: 10.1; 95%CI=2.5-41.0). Originality/value This study is the only examination of WPDI from a nationally representative survey of prisoners where both MMT and NSP are available in prisons and in a region where HIV incidence and mortality are increasing. WPDI levels were extraordinarily high in the presence of low uptake of prison-based MMT. Interventions that effectively scale-up MMT are urgently required as well as an investigation of the environmental factors that contribute to the interplay between MMT and WPDI.

The risk of violent behavior is known to be higher for patients who suffer from a severe mental disorder. However, specific prediction tools for clinical work in prison psychiatry are lacking. In this single-center study, two violence risk assessment tools (Forensic Psychiatry and Violence Tool, "FoVOx," and Mental Illness and Violence Tool, "OxMIV") were applied to a prison hospital population with a primary psychotic or bipolar disorder and subsequently compared. The required information on all items of both tools was obtained retrospectively for a total of 339 patients by evaluation of available patient files. We obtained the median and inter-quartile range for both FoVOx and OxMIV, and their rank correlation coefficient along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)-for the full cohort, as well as for cohort subgroups. The two risk assessment tools were strongly positively correlated (Spearman correlation = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.80-0.86). Such a high correlation was independent of nationality, country of origin, type of detention, schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, previous violent crime and alcohol use disorder, where correlations were above 0.8. A lower correlation was seen with patients who were 30 years old or more, married, with affective disorder and with self-harm behavior, and also in patients without aggressive behavior and without drug use disorder. Both risk assessment tools are applicable as an adjunct to clinical decision making in prison psychiatry.

Although several offender treatment experts have suggested that therapeutic relationships play an important role in offender treatment, empirical finding supporting those arguments are scarce. The present study has therefore examined the relationship between prison climate, treatment motivation, and their influence on changes in risk factors in N = 215 inmates and detainees in four correctional facilities in Berlin, Germany. The inmates' perception of prison climate significantly correlated with their attitudes towards treatment. More positive climate in terms of therapeutic hold and more positive treatment attitude in terms of trust in therapy were also the best predictors of stronger decreases in dynamic risk factors measured by the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R). Our results support the importance of treatment relationship factors within the course of offender rehabilitation.

Each year approximately 110,000 people are imprisoned in England and Wales and new prisoners remain one of the highest risk groups for suicide across the world. The reduction of suicide in prisoners remains difficult as assessments and interventions tend to rely on static risk factors with few theoretical or integrated models yet evaluated. To identify the dynamic factors that contribute to suicide ideation in this population based on Williams and Pollock's (2001) Cry of Pain (CoP) model. New arrivals (N = 198) into prison were asked to complete measures derived from the CoP model plus clinical and prison-specific factors. It was hypothesized that the factors of the CoP model would be predictive of suicide ideation. Support was provided for the defeat and entrapment aspects of the CoP model with previous self-harm, repeated times in prison, and suicide-permissive cognitions also key in predicting suicide ideation for prisoners on entry to prison. An integrated and dynamic model was developed that has utility in predicting suicide in early-stage prisoners. Implications for both theory and practice are discussed along with recommendations for future research.

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The ultra high risk state for psychosis has not been studied in young offender populations. Prison populations have higher rates of psychiatric morbidity and substance use disorders. Due to the age profile of young offenders one would expect to find a high prevalence of individuals with pre-psychotic or ultra-high risk mental states for psychosis (UHR). Accordingly young offender institutions offer an opportunity for early interventions which could result in improved long term mental health, social and legal outcomes. In the course of establishing a mental health in-reach service into Ireland's only young offender prison, we sought to estimate unmet mental health needs. Every third new committal to a young offenders prison was interviewed using the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) to identify the Ultra High Risk (UHR) state and a structured interview for assessing drug and alcohol misuse according to DSM-IV-TR criteria, the Developmental Understanding of Drug Misuse and Dependence - Short Form (DUNDRUM-S). Over a twelve month period 171 young male offenders aged 16 to 20 were assessed. Of these 39 (23%, 95% confidence interval 18% to 30%) met UHR criteria. UHR states peaked at 18 years, were associated with lower SOFAS scores for social and occupational function and were also associated with multiple substance misuse. The relationship with lower SOFAS scores persisted even when co-varying for multiple substance misuse. Although psychotic symptoms are common in community samples of children and adolescents, the prevalence of the UHR state in young offenders was higher than reported for community samples. The association with impaired function also suggests that this may be part of a developing disorder. Much more attention should be paid to the relationship of UHR states to substance misuse and to the health needs of young offenders.

A minority of injecting drug users engage in high risk injecting behaviours when in prison. In the United Kingdom between a quarter and a third of injectors who enter prison inject when in prison, and of these about three-quarters share needles and syringes. In the present study, 44 drug injectors who had been released from prison for no longer than 6 months were recruited and interviewed in three geographical areas in England. Interviewees were asked to recount their experiences of drug use during their most recent period of imprisonment. The majority of interviewees were male (38/44), had a mean age of 28 years, with a mean age of 16 years at first drug use, were primarily opiate users (39) and had multiple imprisonments. All respondents reported drug use when imprisoned and drug injecting was reported by 16 interviewees. Most injected at irregular intervals and at a reduced level, compared with injecting when in the community. Nine reported using needles and syringes that others had previously used. When considering other injecting equipment, more sharing occurred than was actually reported. Much re-use of equipment was viewed simply as "using old works". The sharing of "cookers" and "filters", and drug sharing by "backloading" and "frontloading" were common. The concept of "sharing" tended to be understood by respondents as related to the use of tools of injection (needles and syringes rather than other equipment); the use of tools in the act of injection (rather than for mixing drugs); proximity (multiple use of needles and syringes in the presence of others); temporality (shorter time elapse between consecutive use of needles and syringes previously used by another) and source (hired rather than borrowed or bought). We conclude that syringe sharing is an integral part of drug use and drug injecting in prison. Many of those interviewed displayed a restricted understanding of what denotes syringe sharing. Our data reinforce the need for interventions and initiatives to be developed within prisons to deal with the considerable risk posed by continued injecting drug use.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem worldwide with serious complications. According to the importance of intravenous drug use (IDU) as the main risk factor for HCV infection and transmission and prison as the main source of risky behaviors, this study conducted to define HCV infection and related risk factors in prison inmates with history of IDU in Isfahan province, Iran. This is a cross -sectional study which the prison inmates with IDU history in voluntary basis were enrolled. A validated questionnaire was asked and blood sample was obtained from each subject for the presence of HCV antibody. Odds ratio and logistic regression were used for data analysis and P-value < 0.05 considered significant. I943 inmates with history of IDU participated in the study. The overall prevalence of HCV antibody was 41.6%. The main independent risk factors were number of injection in the month [OR: 1.006 (1.002- 1.011)], Length of drug addiction [OR: 1.05 (1.004-1.098)], multiple incarceration [OR: 1.15 (1.05-1.23)] and use of needle/syringe share inside prison [OR: 4.19 (2.22-7.9)]. In our study, marriage was a protective factor for HCV infection [OR: 0.34 (0.18-0.64)] as well. According to relatively high prevalence of HCV infection and associated risk factors which observed in this study it is important to primary prevention in prisons through syringe/needle exchange and counsel with imprisoned IDUs.

More than 2400 correctional workers in the United States required medical attention in 1999 following assaults by inmates, often with unconventional "homemade" weapons. Little information is available about these weapons. The authors surveyed 101 state prisons for a 12 month period within 2002-03, and 70 responded. A total of 1326 weapons were either confiscated (1086) or used to injure inmates (203) or staff (37). Staff were most often attacked with clubs. The prison store was the most common source of materials used to make confiscated weapons. Issued items were the most common source of materials used to make weapons to injure staff. The injury rate for staff was 1.0/1000 workers per year. The annual cost of injuries for time lost and medical care for staff was estimated at $1,125,000 in these 70 prisons. Results identify materials that should be redesigned to prevent modifications to make weapons. Prison stores and issued items deserve special attention.

Women with a clinical history of a severe mental illness (SMI) or multiple mental disorders involving substance use disorder (SUD) might be at increased risk of re-offending after release from prison. This retrospective cohort study merged data from the Norwegian prison release study (nPRIS) with other registry sources. All women released from a Norwegian prison between 2011-2019 were followed for two years after date of release. Adjusting for several known risk factors, we used logistic regression to estimate risk of violent (VR), drug-related (DR) or other reoffending (ORE) after release among women with a history of SUD and severe mental illness (SUD-SMI), SMI, SUD and other mental illness (SUD-OMI) or a history of multiple SUDs (POLY-SUD) in comparison to a reference population with no history of such disorders or combination of disorders. Relative to the reference population, after adjusting for other relevant risk factors, women with a history of SUD-SMI (OR

In response to the risk of serious further offences, an evidence-based approach is needed in risk management. A recent joint prison-probation inspection of the management of life sentence prisoners in six U.K. prisons found that the quality of assessment and plans to manage risk of harm to others was insufficient, with too much focus on the offender's verbal account. The present paper discusses observations of regular prisoner behaviour as the basis for predictions, and summarizes results of an evaluation of this methodology based on a sample of high-risk category prisoners released into the community. Prison behaviour has not traditionally been seen as a valid risk marker for violent recidivism, which may be because typically only conspicuous high-level behaviours are considered by risk management panels. Our research suggests that we are neglecting a valuable source of information on risk by failing to observe on-going and consistent pre-release behaviour. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

While they have important implications for inmates and resourcing of correctional institutions, diagnostic errors are rarely discussed in correctional mental health research. This review seeks to estimate the prevalence of diagnostic errors in prisons and jails and explores potential causes and consequences. Diagnostic errors are defined as discrepancies in an inmate's diagnostic status depending on who is responsible for conducting the assessment and/or the methods used. It is estimated that at least 10% to 15% of all inmates may be incorrectly classified in terms of the presence or absence of a mental illness. Inmate characteristics, relationships with staff, and cognitive errors stemming from the use of heuristics when faced with time constraints are discussed as possible sources of error. A policy example of screening for mental illness at intake to prison is used to illustrate when the risk of diagnostic error might be increased and to explore strategies to mitigate this risk.

The Therapeutic Community (TC) is a common treatment modality for incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders. TCs rely on peer group processes to promote lasting behavioral and identity change, yet prior research has not adequately tested the peer influence mechanisms underlying the theoretical model. This study applied dynamic network analysis to estimate peer influence processes central to TC philosophy. A stochastic actor-oriented model (SAOM) was applied to ten months of social network data collected from prisoner surveys within a TC unit (N = 62) in a medium-security Pennsylvania prison. Respondents (N = 177, 84% of unit) completed at least one prison survey and provided network and community role model nominations. Although residents' levels of treatment engagement were significantly correlated with their nominated peers, estimates of peer influence for treatment engagement were non-significant in longitudinal network models. Nor were estimates of peer influence significantly greater for peers perceived as community role models. Rather, inmates connected with peers who were of similar treatment engagement as themselves (i.e., a peer selection process), and the latter primarily resulted from racial homophily in the TC social network. Inconsistent with the desired treatment model, treatment engagement diffusion was not evident in the sampled TC. Results suggested that highly-engaged residents clustered together at the center of the TC's social structure but had little impact on less-engaged and peripheral inmates. The relatively short (i.e., four-month) program length and moderate-to-low treatment fidelity likely contributed to the lack of peer influence processes.

This study explores the importation model's role in predicting prison misconduct, emphasizing the mediating effect of security threat group membership. Our analysis draws upon archival data from 636 individuals on death row in California. Structural equation modeling examined relationships between pre-prison characteristics-such as psychopathy, age at first arrest, and prior prisons sentences-and prison misconduct. Findings reveal that security threat group membership significantly mediates the impact of psychopathy and age at first arrest on misconduct, accounting for 60 % and 79 % of their respective effects. Moreover, security threat group membership is strongly associated with institutional misconduct, highlighting its role as a critical factor in prison disorder. The results suggest that pre-prison experiences and security threat group involvement should be integral to risk assessments and management strategies of correctional clients. These insights contribute to understanding prison dynamics and offer practical guidance for improving institutional security and reducing misconduct through targeted interventions addressing security threat group activities.

The present study yields an in-depth examination of the interpersonal and affective world of high-security and detention prisoners with possible (Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version [PCL:SV] ≥ 13) and strong (PCL:SV ≥ 18) indications of psychopathy. A group of male inmates (n = 16) was compared with noncriminal and non-personality disordered controls (n = 35) on measures of self and other (Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form [YSQ-SF], Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex Scales [IIP-C]), and the experience and regulation of affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule [PANAS], Emotion Control Questionnaire 2 [ECQ2]). Results confirm the established grandiose, dominant, and callous characteristics of the psychopath (PCL:SV, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders [SCID-II], DSM-IV and ICD-10 Personality Questionnaire [DIP-Q], IIP-C), while demonstrating personal distress and important nuances and variations in psychopathic offenders' interpersonal and affective functioning (YSQ-SF, PANAS, ECQ2, SCID-II, DIP-Q). These preliminary findings support, expand, and challenge the ordinary portrayal of the psychopath and, if replicated in larger samples, point to a need for an expansion or reformulation of the concept, measurement, and treatment of psychopathy.

The reduction of violence risk and crime recidivism is the core marker of progress in forensic psychiatry treatment for mentally disordered offenders, and commonly used to decide upon discharge from prison-based security clinics. While dynamic risk is expected to relate to treatment progress, static risk is expected to predict discharge from prison-based treatments. Integrated risk-protection assessment is thought to facilitate prediction of treatment outcome. In a two-year prospective observational cohort study using a repeated measures design, we monitored treatment as usual induced changes in violence and protective factors, in 117 offenders of a medium-security forensic clinic in Switzerland. Mixed-effects and multinomial logistic regression models were used to predict longitudinal risk and protection evolution, length of stay, and discharge locations. Forensic psychiatry treatment was indeed associated with decrease in dynamic risk and enhanced protection, contrary to static risk. After 18-24 months of treatment, protective factors counterbalanced risk factors. For risk, both a numeric scale and a structured professional judgement approach equally showed significant improvement over time. For protection and integrated risk-protection, structured professional judgement ratings failed to show significant treatment-related change. Discharge to low-security psychiatry wards was predicted only by favorable baseline risk, protection, and integrated risk-protection, but not by their treatment-related evolution. Longer length of stay was predicted by higher baseline total risk only. Study results confirm the need to distinguish dynamic from static risk in forensic psychiatric treatment monitoring, and to include integrated risk-protection measures. Treatment length and discharge are predicted by the offenders' baseline risk profile, but not by the evolution of risk and protection factors. A structured professional judgment approach in risk and protection assessment leads to different longitudinal results than the use of numeric scale scores.

Reoffending rates may be reduced through efforts to rehabilitate prisoners. A more nuanced understanding is needed of how front-line prison and health care services collaborate during the rehabilitation process. We report an investigation of the organizational dynamics of interprofessional practice among prison, mental health, and welfare services in two Norwegian prison case studies. First, a high security (closed) prison where a coordination network was implemented among prison management, front-line staff, and external service personnel to enhance the prisoners' life management skills. Second, an (open) transitional residence, where interprofessional practice was facilitated by front-line prison staff to increase prisoners' ability to reintegrate into society through their socialization and access to external services. The study demonstrates the demands on prisoners as they move from passive service receivers to active service users/organizer, and how interprofessional practice and models of service integration support them in this process.

Given the developmental vulnerability of justice-involved youth, providing a safe environment in secure facilities is a paramount, yet challenging task. Within this complexity, a sound security framework is key. The security framework exists on three dimensions: physical, procedural and relational security. Existing knowledge points at the importance of a shift in focus on physical and procedural security towards relational security as the core of the security framework. At the same time there is a dearth of knowledge on relational security, particularly in the context of youth justice. This paper explores relational security and its working mechanisms in practice. This paper draws on findings of a comprehensive three-year evaluation of three small-scale, community-embedded facilities that are grounded in relational security. The approach of the evaluation was derived from action research, involving a cyclic process alternating between action, research and critical reflection, while engaging all stakeholders in the research process. The action research cycle involved qualitative research (a total of 63 semi-structured interviews) incorporating the perspective of staff, youth and parents. Relational security is grounded in three distinct, but interrelated, elements - staff's basic attitude, a constructive alliance between staff and youth, staff presence - and promotes a safe and therapeutic environment through several mechanisms. Relational security can be defined in a practical conceptualization; outlining a way of working that guides staff in how to establish a safe and therapeutic environment in secure facilities. This conceptualization finds support in the well-established literature covering the therapeutic alliance and can be substantiated by two aligning theories concerning youth justice strategies: social-ecological theory and self-determination theory. Relational security is not only a way of working, but also a way of being. It encompasses a vision about security and mentality towards justice-involved youth that sees them not merely as 'risks to be managed', but primarly as 'resources to be developed'.

Very little is written in American forensic journals about psychodynamic psychotherapy for patients committed to forensic hospitals. Relatively little is known of the process of helping these patients cope with their mental illnesses, to gain insight into their crimes and their unconscious dynamics, or simply to cope with the dreary landscape of the forensic maximum-security institution. In this commentary, the author hopes to shed light on some of those processes.

The issue of violence in prisons concerns the people detained there, the conditions of the imprisonment and the relations which are established between the prisoners and the guards. The deprivation of liberty in prison, by suppressing desire, stirs up violence. Security contingency measures are not sufficient to control aggressive urges. Violence in prison stems from the internal regulations, the architecture of the building, the organisation of the surveillance and from the psychopathological dynamics of the deprivations resulting from being locked up.

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There is a general tendency for social psychologists to focus on processes of oppression rather than resistance. This is exemplified and entrenched by the Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE). Consequently, researchers and commentators have come to see domination, tyranny, and abuse as natural or inevitable in the world at large. Challenging this view, research suggests that where members of low-status groups are bound together by a sense of shared social identity, this can be the basis for effective leadership and organization that allows them to counteract stress, secure support, challenge authority, and promote social change in even the most extreme of situations. This view is supported by a review of experimental research--notably the SPE and the BBC Prison Study--and case studies of rebellion against carceral regimes in Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Nazi Germany. This evidence is used to develop a social identity model of resistance dynamics.

One size does not fit all in assessment and intervention for people with convictions for sexual offences. Crime scene indicators and risk-related variables have been used to identify distinct clusters of people with convictions for sexual offences, but there is a need for more robust typologies that identify clusters based on psychologically meaningful risk factors that can be targeted in treatment. To use robust modelling techniques to identify latent profiles of people with convictions for sexual offences based on indicators of dynamic risk. Adult male participants, who had been convicted for sexual offences and assessed for eligibility for the prison-based Core Sex Offender Treatment Programme delivered by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (UK), were randomly allocated to a test ( Five latent profiles were identified in the test and validation data-sets. These were labelled low psychological impairment, impulsive, distorted thinker, rape preoccupied and child fantasist. Profiles varied in individual characteristics, offence histories, victim preferences and level of risk. Our findings should be used to guide assessment and intervention practices that are tailored to distinct psychological profiles consistent with principles of risk, need and responsivity.

This mixed-method exploratory inductive study examined incarcerated youths' and staff members' perceptions of a new community-focused therapeutic model in a large youth prison. Via 18 focus groups (

This study investigated the operational dynamics of male violent offenders incarcerated in Abakaliki custodial center, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted and purposive technique used to recruit 260 inmates charged with violent offenses. The data generated from structured questionnaire were analyzed using Predictive Analytic Software (PAS), with ordinary least regression, descriptive statistics and spearman rank order correlation techniques, employed in testing the variables explored. Findings revealed that this population use drugs to enhance criminal performance through being brutal; instilling fear in victims to secure their total compliance and submission; and suppressing regret for their criminal acts. Heroin, followed by, cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, and multiple drug use, were commonly used drugs in the population surveyed, with their offenses ranging from cultism, armed robbery, murder and burglary to kidnapping and assault and battery. Gaining insights into the changing operational knowledge, procedures and dynamics of violent offenders will (re)direct policy approach and action that are capable of increasing public and custodial safety. It will also orient and direct practical prison reforms for successful rehabilitation and reintegration of released inmates into the free world.

With the population of adults under correctional supervision in the United States at an all-time high, psychologists and other professionals working in U.S. correctional agencies face mounting pressures to identify offenders at greater risk of recidivism and to guide treatment and supervision recommendations. Risk assessment instruments are increasingly being used to assist with these tasks; however, relatively little is known regarding the performance of these tools in U.S. correctional settings. In this review, we synthesize the findings of studies examining the predictive validity of assessments completed using instruments designed to predict general recidivism risk, including committing a new crime and violating conditions of probation or parole, among adult offenders in the United States. We searched for studies conducted in the United States and published between January 1970 and December 2012 in peer-reviewed journals, government reports, master's theses, and doctoral dissertations using PsycINFO, the U.S. National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts, and Google. We identified 53 studies (72 samples) conducted in U.S. correctional settings examining the predictive validity of 19 risk assessment instruments. The instruments varied widely in the number, type, and content of their items. For most instruments, predictive validity had been examined in 1 or 2 studies conducted in the United States that were published during the reference period. Only 2 studies reported on interrater reliability. No instrument emerged as producing the "most" reliable and valid risk assessments. Findings suggest the need for continued evaluation of the performance of instruments used to predict recidivism risk in U.S. correctional agencies. (PsycINFO Database Record

Over the last 20 years there have been steps forward in the field of scientific research on prediction and handling different violent behaviors. In this work we go over the classic concept of "criminal dangerousness" and the more current of "violence risk assessment". We analyze the evolution of such assessment from the practice of non-structured clinical expert opinion to current actuarial methods and structured clinical expert opinion. Next we approach the problem of assessing physical violence risk analyzing the HCR-20 (Assessing Risk for Violence) and we also review the classic and complex subject of the relation between mental disease and violence. One of the most problematic types of violence, difficult to assess and predict, is sexual violence. We study the different actuarial and sexual violence risk prediction instruments and in the end we advise an integral approach to the problem. We also go through partner violence risk assessment, describing the most frequently used scales, especially SARA (Spouse Assault Risk Assessment) and EPV-R. Finally we give practical advice on risk assessment, emphasizing the importance of having maximum information about the case, carrying out a clinical examination, psychopathologic exploration and the application of one of the described risk assessment scales. We'll have to express an opinion about the dangerousness/risk of future violence from the subject and some recommendations on the conduct to follow and the most advisable treatment.

Although it is widely believed that risk assessment tools can help manage risk of violence and offending, it is unclear what evidence exists to support this view. As such, we conducted a systematic review and narrative synthesis. To identify studies, we searched 13 databases, reviewed reference lists, and contacted experts. Through this review, we identified 73 published and unpublished studies (N = 31,551 psychiatric patients and offenders, N = 10,002 professionals) that examined either professionals' risk management efforts following the use of a tool, or rates of violence or offending following the implementation of a tool. These studies included a variety of populations (e.g., adults, adolescents), tools, and study designs. The primary findings were as follows: (a) despite some promising findings, professionals do not consistently adhere to tools or apply them to guide their risk management efforts; (b) following the use of a tool, match to the risk principle is moderate and match to the needs principle is limited, as many needs remained unaddressed; (c) there is insufficient evidence to conclude that tools directly reduce violence or reoffending, as findings are mixed; and (d) tools appear to have a more beneficial impact on risk management when agencies use careful implementation procedures and provide staff with training and guidelines related to risk management. In sum, although risk assessment tools may be an important starting point, they do not guarantee effective treatment or risk management. However, certain strategies may bolster their utility. (PsycINFO Database Record

(1) Background: Suicide is the main cause of death in Italian prisons. The largest number of inmates who killed themselves was recorded during three years of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to explore psychosocial risk factors for suicide among inmates incarcerated before and after the onset of COVID-19. (2) Methods: At prison reception, inmates underwent clinical interviews and were assessed using the Blaauw Scale and Suicide Assessment Scale. Psychological distress, measured by the Symptom Checklist-90-R, was compared between inmates admitted before and after COVID-19. Regression analyses were run to examine psychosocial vulnerabilities associated with suicidal intent in newly incarcerated individuals at risk of suicide. (3) Results: Among the 2098 newly admitted inmates (93.7% male) aged 18 to 87 years (M = 39.93; SD = 12.04), 1347 met the criteria for suicide risk, and 98 exhibited high suicidal intent. Inmates who entered prison after the onset of COVID-19 were older and had fewer social relationships. They had a higher prevalence of recidivism and substance abuse, along with elevated levels of psychological distress. An increase in perceived loss of control, anergia, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, phobic anxiety, and paranoid ideation emerged as the factors most strongly associated with high suicidal intent. (4) Conclusions: These findings support the value of psychosocial screening in promptly identifying inmates at risk of suicide, enabling the implementation of targeted, multi-professional interventions. Future research should replicate these results, with a focus on longitudinal studies that monitor the same inmates throughout their incarceration period.

The frequency with which assessment for risk of criminal offending is requested across mental health and criminal justice systems in Western countries is historically unprecedented. However, information concerning risk assessment practices and research in Sub-Saharan Africa is virtually nonexistent. In filling this gap, the present study discusses the prospects and challenges of risk assessment for criminal offending in Ghana, focusing on the criminal justice system, mental health system, and institutional record keeping. Secondly, data obtained from interviewing prisoners, their parents/legal guardians, and prison officers were used to score the Historical-Clinical-Risk Management-20 version 3 (HCR-20

There is an emerging consensus that the assessment and management of adverse outcomes in mental health, such as violence and self harm, is best achieved by approaches which incorporate validated tools using "structured professional judgement". Although several useful tools have emerged from the literature, there is no clear consensus on the best way to integrate these with clinical practice. This paper describes a framework, the Forensicare Risk Assessment and Management Exercise (F.R.A.M.E.), employed by a statewide community forensic mental health service, which incorporates two structured professional judgement tools, and explicitly integrates these into case management and psychiatric treatment. The potential benefits of the framework are discussed in the context of contemporary trends in risk assessment and management. The F.R.A.M.E. appears to assist with the task of integrating risk assessment with clinical management. Formal evaluative research is indicated before it can be recommended for use by other services.

This article presents and describes the Juvenile Suicide Assessment (JSA). The JSA is a suicide risk assessment instrument that can be used by mental health professionals who work with youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The rationale and clinical significance of each of the suicide risk and protective factors comprising the JSA are discussed. The authors discuss important considerations for assessing suicide risk among incarcerated juveniles and identify how the JSA may have clinical-utility for accomplishing this task.

This article reviews important details of the suicide risk assessment procedure as it pertains to incarcerated individuals. Research on correctional suicide risk factors is briefly outlined as a prelude to discussing current methods of clinical suicide risk assessment and prevention in correctional settings. A comprehensive and reliable procedure for eliciting suicidal ideation, behavior, planning, desire, and intent is described. Recommendations for formulating an individualized suicide risk reduction plan are presented, along with key principles of suicide risk assessment documentation. Finally, issues related to professional liability for suicide in corrections are discussed.

This study tested the interrater reliability and criterion-related validity of structured violence risk judgments made by using one application of the structured professional judgment model of violence risk assessment, the HCR-20 violence risk assessment scheme, which assesses 20 key risk factors in three domains: historical, clinical, and risk management. The HCR-20 was completed for a sample of 100 forensic psychiatric patients who had been found not guilty by reason of a mental disorder and were subsequently released to the community. Violence in the community was determined from multiple file-based sources. Interrater reliability of structured final risk judgments of low, moderate, or high violence risk made on the basis of the structured professional judgment model was acceptable (weighted kappa=.61). Structured final risk judgments were significantly predictive of postrelease community violence, yielding moderate to large effect sizes. Event history analyses showed that final risk judgments made with the structured professional judgment model added incremental validity to the HCR-20 used in an actuarial (numerical) sense. The findings support the structured professional judgment model of risk assessment as well as the HCR-20 specifically and suggest that clinical judgment, if made within a structured context, can contribute in meaningful ways to the assessment of violence risk.

The Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability has a well-respected history of establishing the parameters and contributing to developments in the field of offenders with intellectual disability (ID). The field has seen a number of developments over the past 15 years, and this paper identifies several trends that have emerged in the research during this period, including work on prevalence of ID in prison populations, development of risk assessment, consideration of staff issues, developing the psychometrics of offence-specific assessments, evaluating treatment methods, and testing the underlying theoretical frameworks which attempt to account for offending. We refer to a number of studies which have advanced these developments in the field and draw the reader's attention to the way in which papers in this special issue contribute to and further develop each of these research trends.

The research literature on predicting violence is particularly lacking in specifying risk factors for violence in adolescent girls. The recently developed Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth [SAVRY; Borum et al., 2006] shows promise as it is empirically derived and incorporates dynamic factors in its assessment of risk. To date, there exists little information attesting to the reliability and validity of the SAVRY, and few investigations of the SAVRY's utility across gender. This study investigated the SAVRY in a sample of 144 high-risk adolescents (80 males and 64 females), focusing on gender discrepancies in the predictive utility of the measure. Results indicate that the SAVRY moderately predicts violent and non-violent reoffending in the entire sample, and also suggest that the SAVRY operates comparably across gender. Although not precluding the existence of gender-specific domains of risk, current results suggest that validated risk factors in boys hold relevance for the prediction of violence and delinquency in girls.

To identify various biopsychosocial risk factors associated with suicidality in juvenile detention facilities and the effectiveness of suicide prevention protocols currently in use. Medical literature searches were conducted using databases like Pub Med, Ovid, and Google Scholar to identify studies conducted in and outside of United States. The prevalence of suicide among youth imprisoned at detention facilities has risen. Psychiatric disorders are common among such population, making them vulnerable to suicidal tendencies. Suicide risk screening within first 24 h of admission to the detention facility has shown to lower the risk of suicide. Identification of high risk individuals and their further psychiatric assessment is advocated. Much of work with regards to screening tools and instruments is underway and further study is required to get a better understanding.

Due to the special conditions that prevail in prisons, there are specific health risks. Drug use and poor hygiene are widespread. Typical illnesses in prisons include skin diseases, infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis, and nutritional deficiencies. Mental disorders, self-harm, and harm to others are also common. Medical services in prisons-known as prison medicine-therefore face particular challenges compared to regular medical care outside prisons, especially in the area of diagnosis. This concerns, among other things, the assessment of fitness for detention, the indication of specific therapies (e.g., social therapy, addiction therapy, suicide prevention), and prognostic issues, for example in connection with the relaxation of prison rules and the associated risk of abuse by the prisoner. From a medical point of view, it must also be taken into account that aggravation, that is, the deliberate exaggeration of actual symptoms, and the simulation of illness can play a certain role. The article provides an overview of the diagnostic challenges, particularly from a legal perspective. In Justizvollzugsanstalten bestehen aufgrund der besonderen Rahmenbedingungen spezifische Gesundheitsrisiken. Rauschmittelkonsum und unzureichende Hygiene sind weitverbreitet. Typische Erkrankungen im Vollzug sind Hautkrankheiten, Infektionskrankheiten wie HIV und Hepatitis sowie ernährungsbedingte Mangelzustände. Häufig treten zudem psychische Störungen sowie Selbst- und Fremdverletzungen auf. Der medizinische Dienst im Justizvollzug – die sogenannte Gefängnismedizin – steht daher im Vergleich zur regulären medizinischen Versorgung außerhalb der Anstalten vor besonderen Herausforderungen, insbesondere im diagnostischen Bereich. Dies betrifft unter anderem die Beurteilung der Haftfähigkeit, die Indikation spezifischer Therapien (z. B. Sozialtherapie, Suchttherapie, Suizidprävention) sowie prognostische Fragestellungen, etwa im Zusammenhang mit Vollzugslockerungen und dem hierbei bestehenden Missbrauchsrisiko, das vom Gefangenen ausgeht. Aus ärztlicher Sicht ist zudem zu berücksichtigen, dass Aggravation, also die absichtliche Übertreibung tatsächlicher Symptome, sowie die Simulation von Erkrankungen eine gewisse Rolle spielen können. Der Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die diagnostischen Herausforderungen, insbesondere aus juristischer Perspektive.