Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R3, Canada; Forensic Psychiatry, Alberta Hospital Edmonton, 17480 Fort Road, Box 307, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2J7, Canada.
Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G5, Canada; Forensic Psychiatry, Alberta Hospital Edmonton, 17480 Fort Road, Box 307, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2J7, Canada.
Med Hypotheses. 2019 Feb;123:13-18. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2018.12.003. Epub 2018 Dec 7.
The direct or indirect experience of crime can cause individuals to feel vengeful against the perpetrator(s). The prison system reflects this sentiment by creating austere environments that are dehumanizing, punitive, and hopeless. Prisons are, therefore, environments in which retribution and punishment take priority over rehabilitation. Frequently, prisoners are believed to be untreatable because of their antisocial orientation. However, several factors influence an antisocial orientation such as socioeconomic status, family of origin, and mental health. The ubiquitous nothing works misbelief has resulted in prisoner marginalization and increased recidivism because of insufficient treatment. In 2015, 10 million individuals were incarcerated worldwide with around 30 million circulating through prisons each year. The prison environment decreases prisoner life expectancy and overall health. Sadly, prisoner benefits from treatment post-incarceration dissipate after 3-6 months and many prisoners die by suicide or drug overdose. Prison overpopulation, as well as poor outcome post-incarceration, requires more effective treatment. We hypothesize that Prisoner Exposure to Nature (PEN) can transform prisons into environments that are conducive to maintaining and improving physical and mental health. In prior work we proposed the continuum Nature Exposure Sufficiency (NES) versus Nature Exposure Insufficiency (NEI). Prisons are impoverished environments that limit Nature Exposure (NE) which results in NEI. Individuals experience fluctuations in mental and physical health as a result of NEI. Numerous studies have shown that direct and indirect NE can improve mood, physical health, and facilitate connectivity with self and society. It is necessary to consider ways in which we can incorporate NE for prisoner wellbeing. Additionally, it is crucial that prison personnel and prisoners develop a therapeutic/helping relationship (i.e., alliance) that is facilitated by friendliness and warmth to foster social change and citizenship. Many prisoners experience isolation and disconnection with society upon reentry. Given that most prisoners are eventually released into the community, we are obligated not to make them worse. Hence, it is important that prisons create programs that develop citizenship to engender prisoner volition to become positive and active citizens. We focus on the prison and prisoners, however our work is relevant to all total institutions (e.g., mental hospitals, nursing homes, schools, etc.). The prison system favors punishment and mass incarceration over treatment and decarceration. The deleterious effects of incarceration are clear and it is time to implement treatments based on the principles of PEN to improve prisoner wellbeing and citizenship.
犯罪的直接或间接经历会使个体对犯罪者产生报复心理。监狱系统通过创造非人性化、惩罚性和绝望的严酷环境来反映这种情绪。因此，监狱是报应和惩罚优先于康复的环境。由于囚犯的反社会倾向，他们经常被认为是无法治疗的。然而，有几个因素会影响反社会倾向，如社会经济地位、原生家庭和心理健康。无处不在的“什么都不管用”的错误信念导致囚犯被边缘化，累犯率上升，因为治疗不足。2015 年，全球有 1000 万人被监禁，每年约有 3000 万人在狱中服刑。监狱环境会降低囚犯的预期寿命和整体健康水平。可悲的是，囚犯在监禁后的治疗效益在 3-6 个月后就会消失，许多囚犯自杀或吸毒过量死亡。监狱人口过剩以及监禁后结果不佳，需要更有效的治疗。我们假设囚犯接触自然（PEN）可以将监狱转变为有利于维持和改善身心健康的环境。在之前的工作中，我们提出了自然暴露充足（NES）与自然暴露不足（NEI）的连续体。监狱是资源匮乏的环境，限制了自然暴露（NE），从而导致 NEI。个体因 NEI 而经历精神和身体健康的波动。许多研究表明，直接和间接的 NE 可以改善情绪、身体健康，并促进与自我和社会的联系。我们有必要考虑如何将 NE 纳入囚犯的福利。此外，至关重要的是，监狱人员和囚犯发展一种治疗/帮助关系（即联盟），通过友好和热情来促进社会变革和公民意识。许多囚犯在重新融入社会时会感到孤立和与社会脱节。鉴于大多数囚犯最终会被释放到社区，我们有责任不让他们变得更糟。因此，监狱创建培养公民意识的项目以培养囚犯的意愿，使他们成为积极和活跃的公民是很重要的。我们关注监狱和囚犯，但我们的工作与所有全机构（例如，精神病院、疗养院、学校等）有关。监狱系统重视惩罚和大规模监禁，而不是治疗和非监禁。监禁的有害影响是显而易见的，现在是时候根据 PEN 的原则实施治疗，以改善囚犯的福利和公民意识了。
