title: Is there a recognizable post-incarceration syndrome among released "lifers"?
abstract: It has been suggested that released prisoners experience a unique set of mental health symptoms related to, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder. We sought to empirically assess whether there is a recognizable post-incarceration syndrome that captures the unique effects of incarceration on mental health. We conducted in-depth life interviews with 25 released "lifers" (individuals serving a life sentence), who served an average of 19 years in a state correctional institution. We assessed to what extent the symptoms described by the participants overlapped with other mental disorders, most notably PTSD. The narratives indicate a specific cluster of mental health symptoms: In addition to PTSD, this cluster was characterized by institutionalized personality traits, social-sensory disorientation, and alienation. Our findings suggest that post-incarceration syndrome constitutes a discrete subtype of PTSD that results from long-term imprisonment. Recognizing Post-Incarceration Syndrome may allow for more adequate recognition of the effects of incarceration and treatment among ex-inmates and ultimately, successful re-entry into society.
authors: Programin Criminal Justice, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 79 JFK Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States. Marieke_Liem@hks.harvard.edu
authors: Marieke
authors: M
authors: Liem
authors: Maarten
authors: M
authors: Kunst
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001900:Boston; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D013577:Syndrome