Loss, dying, death and bereavement support in the English criminal justice system: Listening to previous voices

Hunt, Katie (2017) Loss, dying, death and bereavement support in the English criminal justice system: Listening to previous voices. XXXVth International Congress on Law and Mental Health, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. 09 - 14 Jul 2017.

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Other)

Abstract

This presentation reviews the literature on the experience of bereavement behind bars, and the existing mechanisms to facilitate the mourning process and support the mental health of grieving prisoners. The confinement of prisoners and their separation from loved ones impedes their ability to accept the reality of the death, mourn their loss, adapt to the absence of the deceased and begin to move on. ‘Tough’ prison culture forces inmates, especially men, to suppress their pain to avoid emotional displays. All of this may lead the bereaved to suffer disenfranchised grief, which, if not addressed, can have serious mental and physical health implications, and lead to reoffending. All prisons in England and Wales provide a chaplaincy, but this service is not appropriate for all inmates, and many settings offer no alternative. This presentation explores several proposed reforms of pastoral care to improve prisoner well-being. Research in this area is limited and a general lack of understanding was emphasised by many authors, who identify the need for further study.

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