Challenges faced by prison staff planning to implement a therapeutic service
Write a report that evaluates the specific challenges and issues that might be faced by prison staff planning to implement a therapeutic service.
Your report should be suitable for reading by a non-academic audience.
Your report should be based on the following scenario:
Imagine that you are a psychological consultant who has been contacted by a local prison. The governor of the prison wants to implement a therapeutic service and offer the prisoners therapy. The prison is for women prisoners, many of whom have experienced sexual and domestic abuse and have been convicted several times for various crimes. A recent inspection of the prison reported that there were high levels of self-harm and attempted suicides by the prisoners and it was suggested that a number of the prisoners would benefit from receiving therapy.
The governor is requesting a report on the issues that need to be taken into consideration in setting up the therapeutic service.
The report needs to not only provide the benefits of offering therapy but also any drawbacks and potential challenges that may be associated with offering therapy in a forensic setting.
The report should present an argument in relation to which of the four therapeutic approaches in the module (attachment therapy, CBT, systemic therapy and mindfulness), should be offered to the woman prisoners, with an appropriate rationale. It should explain why particular therapies might be beneficial and outline any potential drawbacks associated with them.
The report should discuss why female prisoners may not respond to therapy, how to help those who have suicidal thoughts and self-harm, and how to deal with victims of sexual and domestic abuse.
The report should also discuss how to prevent reoffending, as many have been convicted several times.
The report should include general suggestions and recommendations for the governor rather than specific guidance on how the therapeutic service should be set up in this prison.
The report should discuss the benefits as well as drawbacks and potential challenges of offering therapy in a forensic context, and suggest what types of therapy might be appropriate to offer to female prisoners. It should also consider why female prisoners may not respond to therapy and how to help those who self-harm or hold suicidal ideation or intent, and how to deal with victims of sexual and domestic abuse.
You are asked to provide the governor with general suggestions and recommendations for a therapeutic service for this/these client cohort/problems in a prison environment. You are not asked to come up with specific guidance on how the therapeutic service should be set up in this prison
