A study on mental disorders among prisoners and its prevention in India

Abstract

Mental illness is a range of psychological disorders that could be an individual’s cognition, emotional or behavioural disturbance. There exists a high rate of mental health problems among prisoners. The prisoners are among the ones that constantly need their mental health to be checked. Hence, the major objectives of this research is to determine the factors that lead to aggravation of mental disorders among prisoners, to find the consequences of aggravation of mental disorders among prisoners, to find the measures that can be availed in prisons to prevent mental health disorders and to find the measures the prison authorities should implement to reduce mental disorders among inmates. For this purpose, empirical research was conducted. Through convenient sampling methods, 202 samples were collected. The sample frame includes the individuals from Chennai. Age, gender, educational qualification, occupation and monthly income are the independent variables. The factors that lead to aggravation of mental disorders among prisoners, consequences of aggravation of mental disorders among prisoners, measures that can be availed in prisons and by prison authorities to prevent mental health disorders are the dependent variables. Graphical charts and correlation analyses are used as statistical tools for the analyses in SPSS. It is deduced that cornering by fellow inmates, Abuse by fellow inmates, Substance abuse, Confinements and Lack of coping skills as the major factors that leads to aggravation of mental disorders among prisoners; abusing other inmates, Violent behaviour, Self-harm, Suicide and Personality disorders as the major factors which is the consequence of aggravation of mental disorders among prisoners; reduction in misuse of substances, Including frequent community service programs, physical activities such as yoga and similar practices and Introducing recreation centres as the effective measures that can be availed in prisons to prevent mental health disorders; transfer to open prisons, transfer to rehabilitation centres, Admit to asylums temporarily and Provide medical assistance as the effective measure that can be availed to petty offenders who have mental disorders and engaging inmates in group activities is the most effective measure that the prison authorities should implement to reduce mental disorders among inmates. Hence, to ensure complete mental health of the inmates measures such as Frequent monitoring of behavioural changes, Monitoring prevalence of substance usage, Provide counselling and Engage inmates in group activities should be ensured. Ensuring mental health of each individual irrespectively is one of the prime duties of the State, this includes the prisoners.