“it’s not going to break me.” mental health and women’s experiences in the prison system....
TRANSCRIPT
““It’s not going to break me.”It’s not going to break me.”
Mental health and women’s Mental health and women’s experiences in the prison experiences in the prison
system.system.
Jane Hegerty and Melanie Mitchell
General Intro/ Painting the General Intro/ Painting the environmentenvironment
Our RoleOur Role
Work EnvironmentWork Environment 3 Prisons3 Prisons
Brisbane Women’s Correctional CentreBrisbane Women’s Correctional Centre
Brisbane Women’s Correctional CentreBrisbane Women’s Correctional Centre
Helana Jones - AlbionHelana Jones - Albion
General Intro/ Painting the General Intro/ Painting the environmentenvironment
Our RoleOur Role
Work EnvironmentWork Environment 3 Prisons3 Prisons Counselling environment and RestrictionsCounselling environment and Restrictions
–Physical context and prison proceduresPhysical context and prison procedures
Effect of Prison on Women with Effect of Prison on Women with Diagnosed Mental Health ConditionsDiagnosed Mental Health Conditions
Physical EnvironmentPhysical Environment Access to SupportAccess to Support MedicationMedication Experience of those without mental health Experience of those without mental health
concernsconcerns Changes in Mental HealthChanges in Mental Health
Effect of Prison on Women with Effect of Prison on Women with Diagnosed Mental Health ConditionsDiagnosed Mental Health Conditions
Physical EnvironmentPhysical Environment
– Crisis Support UnitCrisis Support Unit– Observation CellsObservation Cells
Effect of Prison on Women with Effect of Prison on Women with Diagnosed Mental Health ConditionsDiagnosed Mental Health Conditions
Access to supportAccess to support– Limited, time delaysLimited, time delays– Type of support availableType of support available
MedicationMedication– Women’s choice/controlWomen’s choice/control
Effect of Prison on Women with Effect of Prison on Women with Diagnosed Mental Health ConditionsDiagnosed Mental Health Conditions
Experience of those without mental health Experience of those without mental health concernsconcerns– Other women in prisonOther women in prison– Prison staffPrison staff
Changes in Mental HealthChanges in Mental Health– Lose contact with support on the outside– Skills/resources deteriorate– Worse position upon release
Effect of Prison Environment on All Effect of Prison Environment on All Women’s Mental Health & WellbeingWomen’s Mental Health & Wellbeing Prison ContextPrison Context
– Physical environment of prisonPhysical environment of prison– Prison culturePrison culture– Maintaining a sense of selfMaintaining a sense of self– Connection to outside/isolationConnection to outside/isolation– Expressing EmotionExpressing Emotion– ControlControl
Going HomeGoing Home– Reintegration LeaveReintegration Leave– Home to StayHome to Stay
Effect of Prison Environment on All Effect of Prison Environment on All Women’s Mental Health & WellbeingWomen’s Mental Health & Wellbeing Physical environmentPhysical environment
– Limited space to selfLimited space to self– Hard to make a space feel like your ownHard to make a space feel like your own
Prison CulturePrison Culture– Practices & ExpectationsPractices & Expectations– Officers/Corrective ServicesOfficers/Corrective Services– ‘‘Management’ of womenManagement’ of women– Other WomenOther Women
Effect of Prison Environment on All Effect of Prison Environment on All Women’s Mental Health & WellbeingWomen’s Mental Health & Wellbeing
Maintaining a Sense of SelfMaintaining a Sense of Self– Holding onto values and beliefsHolding onto values and beliefs
IsolationIsolation– Family & FriendsFamily & Friends
Expressing EmotionExpressing Emotion– Limits and consequencesLimits and consequences
Effect of Prison Environment on All Effect of Prison Environment on All Women’s Mental Health & WellbeingWomen’s Mental Health & Wellbeing
ControlControl– Internal and externalInternal and external
Going HomeGoing Home– Reintegration LeaveReintegration Leave– Home to stayHome to stay
Supporting Women who have been Supporting Women who have been through the prison system.through the prison system.
Women Direct Counselling & SupportWomen Direct Counselling & Support Create a Safe SpaceCreate a Safe Space RespectRespect Difficulty of Day-to-day tasksDifficulty of Day-to-day tasks Awareness of control over decisionsAwareness of control over decisions Exploration and redefinition of roles and identityExploration and redefinition of roles and identity Wariness of systemsWariness of systems Reluctance to trustReluctance to trust IsolationIsolation
