NCJ Number
126994
Journal
Law and Human Behavior Volume: 14 Issue: 4 Dated: (August 1990) Pages: 347-372
Date Published
1990
Length
26 pages
Annotation
It has been widely assumed that prison is destructive to the psychological and emotional well-being of those it detains. However, this assumption has rarely been critically examined. The present report evaluated the evidence pertaining to the effects of imprisonment.
Abstract
Studies on the effects of prison crowding, long-term imprisonment and short-term imprisonment, solitary confinement, death row, and the health risks associated with imprisonment provide inconclusive evidence regarding the "pains of imprisonment." Rather, the evidence points to the importance of individual differences in adapting to incarceration. As the use of incarceration is unlikely to decrease in the near future, research on its effects is urgently needed, and a situation-by-person approach may be the most fruitful research strategy. 186 references (Author abstract)