lecture 9 - experiencing imprisonment (vulnerable prisoners)

Question 1

what are factors associated with vulnerable (to wound)?

Answer 1

• susceptible
• defenceless
• helpless
• weak
• exposed

Question 2

what does importing pre-existing vulnerabilities make more difficult?

Answer 2

makes adaptation and coping more difficult

Question 3

what % of people report poor mental health in prison?

Answer 3

58%

Question 4

how are some people more vulnerable because of the prison environment?

Answer 4

• physical layout (when have disabilities) and conditions of prison
• use of separate accommodation according to perceived vulnerability

Question 5

what is the fastest growing age group in prisons?

Answer 5

older prisoners

Question 6

what % of prisoners are over age of 50?

Answer 6

17%
1 in 6

Question 7

how much has the older prisoner population increased 2002-2016?

Answer 7

14%

Question 8

what % of prisoners aged over 50 are convicted of historical sexual offending?

Answer 8

43%

Question 9

what % of prisoners aged over 50 have a recorded physical disability?

Answer 9

28%

Question 10

how many prisoners are aged over 80 in 2022?

Answer 10

368

Question 11

what is the impact of longer and life sentences on older prisoners?

Answer 11

greater difficulties for resettlement

Question 12

what is the HMPPS response to problems with older prisoners?

Answer 12

• emergence of specialist assisted living units and older prisoner units

Question 13

what challenges for prison officers are there in relation to older prisoners?

Answer 13

having to care rather than control

Question 14

what is institutional thoughtlessness in prisons? crawley and sparks 2005

Answer 14

way in which prison regimes roll on with little reference to needs and sensibilities of the old

Question 15

examples of institutional thoughtlessness

Answer 15

• physical layout: stairs, handrails distances
• social exclusion: work, gym, education
• fear of decline and dying in prison

Question 16

what do sexual offenders provoke?

Answer 16

strong, emotive feelings among general population
these attitudes are imported into prisons, by prisoners and staff

Question 17

what % of prison population are convicted of sexual offending?

Answer 17

18%

Question 18

what type of sexual offenders against adults?

Answer 18

generalists or specialists

Question 19

what type of sexual offenders against children?

Answer 19

typically older, sometimes better educated
- including professional social classes
- may be non contact

Question 20

is it common to have sexual offenders against both children and adults?

Answer 20

no, its rare

Question 21

people convicted of sexual offending are doubly excluded (quote)

Answer 21

outcasts among outcasts

Question 22

what impact on prison experience do sexual offenders feel?

Answer 22

• threatened
• actual fatal violence
• bullying
• verbal abuse
• impact on prospects for successful resettlement

Question 23

what is HMPPS response for sexual offenders

Answer 23

• rule 45
• use of Vulnerable Prisoner Units (VPUs)
• specialist prisons

Question 24

how do sex offenders cope on normal location?

Answer 24

• fronting out
  -not disclosing offence: passing

Question 25

what difficulties do sex offenders have in concealing their offence in normal location

Answer 25

• more difficult to conceal
• difficulties of accessing treatment

Question 26

fronting out definition

Answer 26

cultivating a version of self that is inauthentic
wearing masks/ putting up fronts as way of dealing with psychological and physical challenges

Question 27

how do sex offenders cope on VPU or dedicated prison

Answer 27

• offence integral to personal and social identity
• greater safety and ease of treatment access

Question 28

criticisms of sex offenders on VPU or dedicated prisons

Answer 28

• reinforcement of identity
• potential to facilitate networking

Question 29

managing a spoiled identity for sex offenders goffman 1963

Answer 29

• coping through scapegoating
• offending hierarchies including between nonces
• camaraderie
• deliberate ignorance of each others offences

Question 30

greater negative attitude for sex offenders by who?

Answer 30

among officers

Question 31

how did trained treatment facilitators view their sex offender clients?

Answer 31

commonly as manipulative and devious individuals
- but also as simply human beings who had committed dreadful crimes

Question 32

what is professional-personal dialectic

Answer 32

• separate individual from offence
• reconcile professional responsibilities from instinctive feelings of disgust
• requires conscious emotional labour

Question 33

working with sex offenders requires

Answer 33

• professional-personal dialectic
• compartmentalisation of work and personal life

Question 34

what intensifies the disgust for sexula offenders

Answer 34

the inmate code
soemtimes staff