Occupational Engagement In Prisons: an evaluation of time-use in Sri Lankan correctional settings.

Abstract

Abstract: Sri Lankan prison system has shown marked overcrowding for decades. It is a common issue worldwide which contributes poor care, loss of privacy, limited resources and occupational deprivation. A lack of access to basic human occupations can lead to occupational deprivation. In penal settings, occupational deprivation has been suggested as a contributing factor in prison riots, prison suicides, recidivism, episodic disorientation and psychosis among inmates. Therefore, it is important to observe the current Sri Lankan prison system concerning the occupational deprivation among prison inmates. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in Welikada prison (male section) situated in Colombo 09, aiming to explore the time-use and occupational engagement among sentenced prisoners detained and to suggest suitable actions to be taken to improve the correctional process. A Purposive sample of 30 inmates between 18 and 55 years old was selected for the study. Data collected via an informal semistructured interview based on Occupational questionnaire (Smith, et al., 1986) and analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods. An overall time-use in a typical day among participants were evaluated using simple statistical methods under five domains; work, daily living works, recreation, leisure and sleep. Qualitative data summarized under three main themes; occupational choice and autonomy, motivation for occupation and values of occupation. The overall findings suggest that the incarcerated environment promotes occupational imbalance, passivity and negativism, which shows an occupational deprivation among the prison population. The findings are suggestive of a need for an occupational therapy intervention to the prison institutions at large or individual and group basis.