Reexamining the cruel and unusual punishment of prison life.

Abstract

It has been widely assumed that prison is destructive to the psychological and emotional weB-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. Studies on the effects of prison crowding, long-term imprisonment and short-term detention, 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 urgendy needed and a situation-by-person approach may be the most fruitful research strategy.

Reexamining Psychological Distress in the Current Conditions of Segregation

“…They reported placing more restrictions upon inmates without appropriate activity programming (such as education, religious services, psychological services, or recreation) would be detrimental to inmates' health and rehabilitative prognoses. Bonta and Gendreau (1990) reported that examining prison life from a uniform perspective made sense until recently. They stressed the appropriateness of examining incarceration effects by paying close attention to current and specific conditions in each individual prison setting.…”

the "death row community": a community psychology perspective

“…There is some con icting research regarding how death row inmates view their con nement situations. Bonta and Gendreau (1990) reviewed seven different studies carried out between 1962 and 1987. They concluded that, in general, inmates offer mixed observations related to the physical and mental health effects of prison life while on death row.…”

“…Interestingly, however, social scientists have offered only modest assessments of the death row phenomenon and its relationship to capital punishment (cf. Bonta and Gendreau 1990;Farr 1998;Smykla 1987). This is surprising especially since there are important social, legal, and psychological connections between life on death row and the execution process itself (Keve 1992;Johnson 1998).…”

Doing time: A qualitative study of long-term incarceration and the impact of mental illness

“…Two of the other classic reasons for inflicting punishment on criminal offenders - retribution and deterrence - imply that punishment should result in some degree of mental suffering. At the same time, the infliction of suffering must not go too far: the state undermines the perceived fairness of the law if punishment is disproportionately harsh relative to the crime (Bonta & Gendreau, 1990; van Zyl Smit, 2006). Furthermore, protection against excessive suffering is acknowledged as a fundamental right: the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees that punishment shall not be “cruel and unusual,” and Article Three of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of the Council of Europe likewise states that “[n]o one shall be subjected to...inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” In order for punishment to be fair and effective, mental suffering must be present, but not excessive.…”