Freedom and Death Inside the Jail.pdf - The Action Program for ...

had to be shortened to make way for religious services. Symposia
and seminars are held right next to the videoke bar.
Psychologist
Firewood: The Root Causes of Problems
Part of the Jail’s rehabilitation services is providing psychological
treatment, counseling mostly, to inmates. The resident psychologist
determines whether or not newly committed inmates
are mentally fit. Then he keeps track of how inmates have coped
with life inside the Jail. Some inmates have difficulty adjusting
and they manifest delusional behavior. Others are completely
unable to adjust and they become mentally ill.
In most cases, the psychological condition of inmates are reported
to the psychologist by the cell’s leader or mayor and medical
coordinator. These two individuals identify inmates as possible
candidates for psychological treatment based on odd behavior
(there are inmates who refuse to take a bath, talk to themselves or
to the walls, and are given to sudden emotional outbursts).
One psychologist, with the help of a support staff, should be
enough to look after the needs of all inmates of Quezon City Jail.
The problem is that Quezon City Jail’s resident psychologist is also
assigned by the BJMP to seven other city jails in Marikina, San
Mateo, Rodriguez, Parañaque, Taguig, Metro Manila Rehabilitation
Center, and New Manila.
The ideal ratio is one psychologist attending to one inmate, but
in Quezon City Jail, the resident psychologist handles at least ten
patients everyday. He conducts all the interviews, administers
tests, and studies medical histories. Compared with private practitioners
who examine their patients for at least a week to come up
with a conclusive report, Quezon City Jail’s resident psychologist
examines his patients within a very limited time.
Medical officers know what their patients need but do not have
enough resources to give it to them.
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