Psychological effects

• De-individuation


  • Seen in the Stanford Prison Experiment - loss of individual and self
  • Increased aggression and treating people in inhuman ways
• Mental health issues


  • Depression, anxiety, suicide
  • Abramson et al. - depression caused by helplessness and hopelessness
  • Depression may lead to self-harm or suicide - single young men within their first 24 hours of incarceration are most at risk
• Overcrowding and lack of privacy


  • 25% of prisoners are in overcrowded accommodation (two-thirds are overcrowded)
  • Inevitable effect on psychological state of prisoners
  • Calhoun - rats showed overcrowding led to increased aggression, hypersexuality, stress and physical illness
• Effects on the family

  • Children with incarcerated parents are deeply affected financially and psychologically
  • Parents in prison may also feel guilt and separation anxiety - Glover
• Institutionalisation


  Inmates have become so accustomed to daily prison life that they cannot function outside, and so often reoffend
• Prisonisation


  Prisoners are socialised into an 'inmate code' - behaviour considered unacceptable outside is encouraged and rewarded inside prison