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J Contemp Psychother (2006) 36:137-144 DOI 10.1007/s 10879-006-9017-x
Group Psychotherapy in Prison: Facilitating Change Inside the Walls
Robert D. Morgan i Daryl G. Kroner i Jeremy 17. Mills
Published online: 25 July 2006y Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006
Abstract The inclusion of prison based group psychotherapy in this special issue is timely. Given the continued rise in prison populations, a premium is placed on identifying efficient, yet effective prison based interventions. One option for offender rehabilitation is group psychotherapy. As such, the aim of this paper is to review what we already know about the implementation of group psychotherapy and to identify what we need to learn. Within the context of correctional mental health treatment, this manuscript reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the availability of group psychotherapy services to incarcerated offenders and the efficacy of group services. We will conclude with a discussion of six strategies for effective group therapy interventions with inmates.
Keywords Group psychotherapy i Offender rehabilitation i Correctional mental health treatment
"If you can facilitate psychotherapy groups in here (prison), you can facilitate psychotherapy groups anywhere." Such is the mantra of correctional mental health professionals attempting to facilitate group psychotherapy sessions in an environment that is generally not conducive to change, and with clients who are often times suspicious at best and steadfastly resistant to insight and growth at worst. Nevertheless, groups are an efficient means for providing mental health
R. D. Morgan ([])
Psychology Department, Texas Tech University, Box 42051, Lubbock, Texas 79409-2051 e-mail: robert.morgan@ ttu.edu
D. G. Kroner Pittsburgh Insitution,
J. F. Mills
Carleton University,
services (Corsini, 1964, Wilson, 1990) and given disproportionate increases in inmate to mental health professional staffing numbers (Boothby & Clements, 2000), is likely to remain a common mechanism for service delivery.
Given the frequency of group treatment methods being utilized inside correctional facilities (Morgan, Winterowd, & Ferrell, 1999), it is necessary to review research on the use of group treatment in prisons (what we know), highlight critical deficits in our knowledge of group treatment within correctional environments (what we need to know), and conclude with a discussion of basic strategies guiding the facilitation of group treatment in prisons (how to facilitate therapy groups in prison). More specifically, the review of research will focus...