TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2009//
TI  - Institutional responses to self-injurious behavior among inmates
JO  - Journal of correctional health care
A1  - Dehart, Dana D.
A1  - Smith, H. P. R.
A1  - Kaminski, Robert J.
SP  - 129
EP  - 141
VL  - 15
IS  - 2
N2  - To date, little research has systematically investigated perceptions of mental health professionals regarding motivations for self-injury among prison inmates. To help fill this gap, the authors used descriptive techniques to examine self-injurious behavior among inmates from the perspective of correctional mental health professionals. A quantitative survey assessed perceptions of mental health staff regarding etiology, motivations, and manifestations of self-injury. A qualitative interview component was used to explicate responses from the survey. Inmate cutting, scratching, opening old wounds, and inserting objects were the most commonly witnessed behaviors. Findings suggest that self-injury occurred regularly and that a subset of inmates are responsible for recurrent events. Mental health professionals perceived the motivation for inmate self-injury to be both manipulative and a coping mechanism. They described current management strategies and corresponding needs for training and resources.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1078-3458
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1078345809331444
ID  - ref1
ER  -