Prison Psychology

An interesting piece written by a prison psychologist, though I have to add that the questions she poses at the end, "And I can't help but wonder, for those who have the opportunity on parole, why they continue to fail, why they continue to come back. Isn't the fear of prison, even the living conditions and smells alone, enough to deter recidivism?" really aren't that confusing. It makes sense to me why they come back. They "continue to fail" because they are not being helped in any way by prison. You can't just stop people from continually making the wrong decisions in life by putting them in a cage for a few years and then opening the door, handing them a small amount of cash and kicking them out on the street. And as far as prison being an effective deterrent, this woman has got to be blind. People don't go into a criminal act thinking, "this is most likely going to land me in jail but the payoff is too great and I will risk it anyway". Usually in the commission of a crime, the last thing people are thinking about is prison. Most criminals think they won't get caught because, quite frankly, most criminals do not get caught. I figured a prison psychologist, of all people, would understand that.

Clarice Meets Hannibal | Psychology Today Blogs

I walk the 10 steps to my office, unlock the door, flip on the lights, and take my seat. Within seconds I have a line at my door - inmates without appointments, I observe. They have questions, "Just a moment of your time," or requests "I'm just passing a kite" - a note from one of my patients living in the cells. Unless it's an emergency I shoo them away - it poses a security concern to have so many inmates near my office door. I settle in.

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