The Icelandic Prison Service - counselling in prisons network

The Icelandic Prison Service
Anna Kristín Newton
Forensic Psychologist

Where is Iceland?

Demographics
• 103.000 square km
• 320.000 people
– 20.000 foreigners
– 200.000 live in and around Reykjavík
• First language - icelandic
• 69% of the population has a secondary
education (2-4 years of college)
• 30% have a university degree
• 365.000 icelandic kroner per month (2000
pounds)

Criminal System

Sentencing guidelines in Iceland
• Maximun sentence is life
• 16 years for murder/mannslaughter
• 12 years for drug trafficking
• 16 years for rape
• 12 years for child molestation!
• 6 years for burglary
And last but not least....
• 12 years for financial misdemenours

The scope of the Prison and
Probation Administration (PPA)
• To implement the sanctions/sentences that the
courts hand down.
• This can mean those who are put on probation,
community service, prison sentences, parole as
well as in a very few instances those who are
sentenced to theraputic interventions e.g. drug
treatment.
• To make sure that specialized services are
made available to those who need it.

5 office
personel
2 community
serice
Staff members of the PPA
2
Psychologists
General
director
2 Social
Workers
Lawyer
Criminologist

1000
950
900
850
800
750
700
650
600
550
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Prison population per 100.000 per captia
in various countries around the world
Iceland
44
Denmark
63
Finland
64 69 74 76 88 89 96
Norway
Sweden
Ireland
Northern Ireland
Germany
France
Scotland
152 153
England/Wales
Latvia
234
Estonia
259
Lithuania
288
756
USA

280
230
180
130
80
30
-20
The waiting game – number of
people waiting to come to prison
143
118
93
60
117
208
194
67
55
33
49
59 65 63
53
75
97 105
142 148
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
280

200
175
150
125
100
75
50
25
0
Average number of people serving a sentence each year, in prison
(blue line) and thereof women (brown line) during the years 1988 –
2010.
137
138
132
122
116 122
113
115 118
101
104 108
134
101
102
97 100
101
99
96
116
91
91
84
91 97 99 98 118
107
117
102 100
94 100
96 98 97 97 104
91
87 85
79
71
1988
5
1990
4
4
1992
3
3 5 7 5 4 6 4 3 4 6 6 7 7 5 6
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
8
2008
7
151
4
2010

25
20
15
10
5
0
1996
6
2
13
3
Average number of persons in custody during the years
1996 – 2010 and thereof how many in solitary
confinement, on average
1998
10
1
10
4
19
4
2000
15
2
2002
15
4
11 12
2
2004
2
16
2
2006
17
3
17
2
2008
15
4
20
4
2010
18
4

Geirfinnsmálið

Solitary confinement

Gæsluvarðhald/einangrun

Average number of prisoners. Thereof in
prison (blue line) thereof foreigners
(redline).
200
150
100
50
0
139
125
1996
124
112
120
110
106 106
94
92
3 6 5 4 4
1997
1998
1999
2000
124
107
2001
118
103
133
116
138
120
12 11 9 10
2002
2003
2004
139
116
2005
15
145
118
17
2006
141
120
2007
18
155
133
24
2008
160
137
23
2009

200
175
150
125
100
75
50
25
Number of prisoners, on average in
prison per day, and how many have
been in prison before
0
90
60
2000
112
52
2001
104
2002
51 50
2003
121 123 123 123 122
54
2004
2005
43
49
2006
2007
43
2008
156
147
46 46
2009

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Reason for incarceration 2006-9.
Percentages.
2006 2007 2008 2009
Violent offences
Sexual offences
Drug offences
Traffic offences
Acquisitive
Murder/manslaughter

Kvíabryggja:
Open prison, 20
prisoners, 8 prison
officers
Hegningarhúsið:
Reykjavík – closed
prison incoming
prison - 16
prisoners, 12
prison officers
Kópavogur: 12
prisoners, 9 prison
officers – mainly for
women – closed prison
Prisons in Iceland
Akureyri: 10 cells, revamped in 2006 in the police
stationi, 6 prison officers – closed prison
Litla-Hraun: 87 prisoners –
50 prison officers – security
prison
Bitra: 16 prisoners – open prison
Total of 161
placements

Hegningarhús

Hegningarhús

Hegningarhúsinu

“the garden”

Kópavogur – womens prison

Kópavogur – the women´s prison

Kópavogur

Kópavogur

Fangelsið Litla Hrauni

Litla Hraun

Visitors room

Toilet

Kvíabryggja – open prison

Fangelsið Kvíabryggju

Fangelsið Kvíabryggju

Fangelsið Akureyri

Fangelsið Akureyri

Fangelsið Akureyri

Fangelsið Akureyri

Bitra

Sogn – Secure Unit

What do the psychologists do?

Psychologists in the Icelandic
prison system
• First psychologist started in 1974 – part
time
• Full-time from 1989
• Now two full-time positions within the
service
– One forensic – one clinical
• Our main objective is to decrease the
liklihood of recidivism

What we offcially do
• Counselling for prisoners
• Written reports to the
PPA – mainly risk
assessments/case
management
• Teach at the prison
academy
• Research
• Supervise staff
• Work with other mental
health professionals

What we actually do
• One to one treatment – sexual/violent/young offenders
• Group therapy – Anger management, ADHD, Drug treatment
• Risk assessments and other if need be
• Supervision and treatment for those on parole, probation or
community service
• Counselling for family members of prisoners
• Support for prison officers – peer support
• Supervision for prison officers
• Research
• Team work with other agenceis e.g. secure unit, psychiatric
ward, police, drug treatment centers and so on

How do we do it?
• Cognitive behaviour therapy
• Motivational interviewing
• Social skills NEED training
• ART – aggression replacement therapy
• Try to make it as interactive as possible
especially the group work
• Trying to implement the risk, needs, responsivity
principle (RNR)
• Use research to guide our efforts

The dynamic duo of forensic
psychology in Iceland
• Dr. Gísli H. Guðjónsson
• Dr. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson

Peer reviewed articles
• 1. Jón F. Sigurðsson (1991). Computer experience, attitudes toward computers and personality characteristics in psychology undergraduates.
Personality and Individual Differences, 12, 617-624.
• 2. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson og Ásrún Matthíasdóttir (1993-94). Tölvukvíði og viðhorf til tölva. Íslensk þýðing og prófun á þremur sálfræðiprófum.
Sálfræðitímaritið - Tímarit Sálfræðingafélags Íslands, 4-5, 51-62.
• 3. Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Jón F. Sigurðsson (1994). How frequently do false confessions occur? An empirical study among prison inmates.
Psychology, Crime and Law, 1, 21-26.
• 4. Jón F. Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (1994). Alcohol and drug intoxication during police interrogation and the reasons why suspects confess to
the police. Addiction, 89, 985-997.
• 5. Jón F. Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (1995). Personality characteristics of drug-dependent offenders. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 49, 33-38.
• 6. Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Jón F. Sigurðsson (1995). The relationship of confabulation to the memory, intelligence, suggestibility and personality of
juvenile offenders. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 49, 373-378.
• 7. Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Jón F. Sigurðsson (1996). The relationship of confabulation to the memory, intelligence, suggestibility and personality of
prison inmates. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 10, 85-92.
• 8. Jón F. Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (1996). Psychological characteristics of juvenile alcohol and drug users. Journal of Adolesence, 19, 41-46.
• 9. Jón F. Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (1996). The psychological characteristics of ‘false confessors’. A study among Icelandic prison inmates
and juvenile offenders. Personality and Individual Differences, 20, 321-329.
• 10. Jón F. Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (1996). Illicit drug use among Icelandic prisoners prior to their imprisonment. Criminal Behaviour and
Mental Health, 6, 98-104.
• 11. Jón F. Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (1996). Illicit drug use among “false confessors”: A study among Icelandic prison inmates. Nordic Journal
of Psychiatry, 50, 325-328.
• 12. Jón F. Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (1996). The relationship between types of claimed false confession made and the reasons why suspects
confess to the police according to the Gudjonsson Confession Questionnaire (GCQ). Legal and Criminological Psychology, 1, 259-269.
• 13. Jón F. Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (1997). The criminal history of ‘false confessors’ and other prison inmates. The Journal of Forensic
Psychiatry, 8, 447-455.
• 14. Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (1999). The Gudjonsson Confession Questionnaire-Revised (GCQ-R): factor structure and its
relationship with personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 27, 953-968.
• 15. Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2000). Differences and simillarities between violent offenders and sex offenders. Child Abuse &
Neglect, 24, 363-372.
• 16. Marius Peersen, Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2000). The relationship between general and specific attribution of blame for a
“serious” act ant the role of personality. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 54, 25-30.
• 17. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Marius Peersen (2001). Differences in the cognitive ability and personality of desisters and reoffenders:
A prospective study among young offenders. Psychology, Crime and Law, 7, 33-43.
• 18. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (2001). False confessions: The relative importance of psychological, criminological and substance
abuse variables. Psychology, Crime and Law, 7, 275-289.

Peer reviewed articles
• 19. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Berglind Brynjólfsdóttir, og Hrafnhildur Hreinsdóttir (2002). The relationship of compliance with anxiety, self-esteem,
paranoid thinking and anger. Psychology, Crime and Law, 8,145-153.
• 20. Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2003). The relationship of compliance with coping strategies and self-esteem. European Journal of Psychological
Assessment, 19, 117-123.
• 21. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Ólafur Ö. Bragason, Emil Einarsson og Eva B. Valdimarsdóttir (2004). Confessions and denials and the relationship with
personality. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 9, 121-133.
• 22. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (2004). Forensic Psychology in Iceland. A survey of members of the Icelandic Psychological Society. Scandinavian
Journal of Psychology, 45, 325-329.
• 23. Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2004). Motivation for offending and personality. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 9, 69-81.
• 24. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Kristín Hannesdóttir, Tómas Ágústsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Ása Guðmundsdóttir, Þuríður Þórðardóttir, Þórarinn Tyrfingsson og Hannes
Pétursson (2004). The relationship of alcohol withdrawal symptoms to suggestibility and compliance. Psychology, Crime and Law, 10, 169-177.
• 25. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Kristín Hannesdóttir, Tómas Ágústsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Ása Guðmundsdóttir, Þuríður Þórðardóttir, Þórarinn Tyrfingsson og Hannes
Pétursson (2004). Personality predictors of the failure of alcoholics to come for follow-up assessment. Personality and Individual Differences, 37, 805-813.
• 26. Marius Peersen, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Sigurður J. Grétarsson (2004). Predicting re-offending: A five-year prospective study of Icelandic
prison inmates. Psychology, Crime and Law, 10, 197-204.
• 27. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson og Emil Einarsson (2004). Role of personality in relation to confessions and denials. Psychology, Crime and Law, 10, 125-
135.
• 28. Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2004). The relationship of suggestibility and compliance with self-deception and other-deception. Psychology, Crime
and Law, 10, 447-453.
• 29. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Ólafur Ö. Bragason, Emil Einarsson og Eva B. Valdimarsdóttir (2004). Compliance and personality. The vulnerability of
the unstable-introvert. European Journal of Personality, 18, 435-443.
• 30. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Gísli H. Gudjónsson, Atli Viðar Bragason, Elsa Kristjánsdóttir, E. og Inga Dóra Sigfúsdóttir (2006). The role of violent cognition in the
relationship between personality and the involvement in violent films and computer games. Personality and Individual Differences, 41, 381-392.
• 31. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Bryndís Björk Ásgeirsdóttir og Inga Dóra Sigfusdottir (2006). Custodial interrogation, false confession and individual
differences. A national study among Icelandic youth. Personality and Individual Differences, 41, 49-59.
• 32. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Emil Einarsson, Ólafur Ö. Bragason og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2006). Personality predictors of self-reported offending in Icelandic students.
Psychology, Crime and Law, 12, 383 – 393.
• 33. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Hildur Finnbogadóttir og Unnur Jakobsdóttir Smári (2006). Perceived parental rearing practices and false confessions.
Scandinavian Journal of psychology, 47, 361-368.
• 34. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Emil Einarsson og Gudmundur Gudjonsson (2006). Differences in personality and mental state between suspects and
witnesses immediately after being interviewed by the police. Psychology, Crime and Law, 12, 619-628.
• 35. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Bryndís Björk Ásgeirsdóttir og Inga Dóra Sigfusdottir (2007). Custodial interrogation. What are the background factors
associated with a false confession? Journal of Forensic Psychology and Psychiatry, 18, 266-275.
• 36. Gísli H. Guðjónsson and Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2007). Motivation for offending and personality: A study among young offenders on probation. Personality and
Individual Differences, 42, 1243-1253.
• 37. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson og Emil Einarsson (2007). Taking blame for antisocial acts and its relationship withy personality. Personality and Individual
Differences, 43, 3-13.

Peer reviewed articles
• 38. Gunnþóra Steingrimsdóttir, Hrafnhildur Hreinsdóttir, Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, og Tomas Nielsen (2007). False confessions and
the relationship with offending behaviour and personality among Danish adolescents. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 12, 287-296.
• 39. Jón Snorrason, Guðrún Úlfhildur Grímsdóttir og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2007). Gátir á bráðadeildum á geðsviði Landspítala-háskólasjúkrahúss,
viðhorf sjúklinga og starfsmanna. Læknablaðið, 93, 832-839.
• 40. Inga Dóra Sigfusdottir, Bryndís Björk Ásgeirsdóttir, Gísli H. Guðjónsson og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2008). A Model of Sexual Abuse’s effects on
Suicidal Behavior and Delinquency: The Role of Emotions as Mediating Factors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 37, 699-712.
• 41. Gisli H. Gudjonsson, Jon Fridrik Sigurdsson, Olafur Orn Bragason, Anna Kristin Newton, and Emil Einarsson (2008). Interrogative suggestibility,
compliance and false confessions among prisoners and their relationship with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Psychological
Medicine, 38, 1037-1044.
• 42. Inga Dóra Sigfúdóttir, Bryndís Björk Ásgeirsdóttir, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson og Gísli H. Guðjónsson (2008). Trends in depression, anxiety symptoms
and visits to health care specialists: A national study among Icelandic adolescents. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 36, 361-368.
• 43. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Linda Bára Lýðsdóttir og Halldóra Ólafsdóttir (2008). The relationship between adult romantic
attachment and compliance. Personality and Individual Differences, 45, 276-280.
• 44. Þórður Örn Arnarson, Daníel Þór Ólason, Jakob Smári, og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2008). The Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II):
Psychometric properties in Icelandic student and patient populations. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 62, 360-365.
• 45. Jakob Smári, Daníel Ólason, Þórður Örn Arnarson og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2008). Mælitæki fyrir þunglyndi fullorðinna sem til eru í íslenskri gerð:
próffræðilegar upplýsingar og notagildi. Sálfræðiritið – Tímarit Sálfræðingafélags Íslands, 13, 147-171.
• 46. Hafrún Kristjánsdóttir, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Agnes Agnarsdóttir og Engilbert Sigurðsson (2008). Munur á meðferðarárangri einstaklinga með
þunglyndi og kvíðatengt þunglyndi. Sálfræðiritið – Tímarit Sálfræðingafélags Íslands, 13, 187-199.
• 47. Linda Bára Lýðsdóttir, Halldóra Ólafsdóttir Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2008). Fæðingarþunglyndi: Algengi, afleiðingar og helstu áhættuþættir.
Sálfræðiritið – Tímarit Sálfræðingafélags Íslands, 13, 171-187.
• 48. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Inga Dóra Sigfúsdóttir og Bryndís B. Ásgeirsdóttir (2008). False confessions and individual differences.
The importance of victimization among youth. Personality and Individual Differences, 45, 801-805.
• 49. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Emil Einarsson, og Jónas Haukur Einarsson (2008). Personal versus impersonal relationship
compliance and their relationship with personality. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 19, 502-516.
• Handrit samþykkt til birtingar:
• 50. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Guðrún Ágústa Eyjólfsdóttir, Jakob Smári, and Susan Young. The relationship between satisfaction
with life, ADHD symptoms and associated problems among university students. Journal of Attention Disorders.
• http://jad.sagepub.com/cgi/rapidpdf/1087054708323018v1
• 51. Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Inga Dóra Sigfúsdóttir. Interrogations and false confessions among adolescents in seven countries in
Europe. What background and psychological factors best discriminate between false confessors and non-false confessors? Psychology, Crime and
Law.
• 52. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Gísli H. Guðjónsson, Inga Dóra Sigfúsdóttir og Bryndís B. Ásgeirsdóttir. Sexually abusive youth. What are the background
factors that distinguish them from other youth? Psychology Crime and Law, (in press).
•

Peer reviewed articles
• 1. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (1994). Rannsókn á áfengis- og fíkniefnaneyslu fanga fyrir afplánun. Viðauki við ársskýrslu
fangelsismálastofnunar ríkisins fyrir árið 1993, bls. 36-45. (Þessi grein er að mestu samin upp úr greinunum Alcohol and drug intoxication
during police interrogation and the reasons why suspects confess to the police og Illicit drug use among Icelandic prisoners prior to their
imprisonment eftir Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson og Gísla H. Guðjónsson).
• 2. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (1997). Afbrotasaga íslenskra fanga: Samanburður á föngum, sem sögðust hafa játað á sig afbrot sem þeir
höfðu ekki framið og hinum sem ekki sögðust hafa gefið falska játningu. Viðauki við ársskýrslu Fangelsismálastofnunar ríkisins fyrir árið
1996, bls. 39-44. (Þessi grein er útdráttur úr greininni The criminal history of ‘fase confessors’ and other prison inmates eftir Jón Friðrik
Sigurðsson og Gísla H. Guðjónsson).
• 3. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (1997). Cognitive-behavioural therapy for offenders in Iceland. Erindi sem birtist í Fængsler: Administration,
behandling og evaluering. Rapport fra NSfK’s 18. kontaktseminar og 39. forskerseminar Hirtshals, Danmark 1997.
• 4. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson og Erlendur S. Baldursson (1998). Áfengis- og fíkniefnameðferð í refsivist og endurkoma í fangelsi. Tilraun til
mats á árangri þess að gefa föngum kost á því að ljúka refsivist í áfengis- og fíkniefnameðferð hjá SÁÁ. Viðauki við ársskýrslu
Fangelsismálastofnunar ríkisins fyrir árið 1997, bls. 53-60.
• 5. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson og Erlendur S. Baldursson (1998). Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment and Recidivism. An attempt to
evaluate the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment as an alternative to imprisonment among Icelandic prison inmates. Erindi, þýðing
á grein í ársskýrslu Fangelsismálastofnunar ríkisins fyrir árið 1997, bls. 53-60, sem birtist í norrænni skýrslu, Rapport fra NSfKs 40.
forskerseminar, Espoo, Finland 1998.
• 6. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (1999). Ítrekanir unglinga sem fá skilorðsbundna ákærufrestun. Samanburður á hugrænum- og
persónuleikaeinkennum þeirra sem hætta að fremja afbrot og þeim sem halda því áfram. Þessi grein birtist í ársskýrslu
Fangelsismálastofnunar ríkisins fyrir árið 1998 og er að stórum hluta til útdráttur úr grein Jóns Friðriks Sigurðssonar, Gísla H.
Guðjónssonar og Mariusar Peersen, Differences in the cognitive ability and personality of desisters and re-offenders: A prospective study
among juveniles, sem mun birtast í tímaritinu Psychology, Crime and Law.
• 7. Margrét Sæmundsdóttir og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2002). Rannsókn á samfélagsþjónustu frá 1. júlí 1995 til loka ársins 2000 og
samanburður á þeim sem stóðust skilyrði samfélagsþjónustu og þeim sem rufu skilyrði hennar. Ársskýrsla Fangelsismálastofnunar
ríkisins fyrir árið 2000, bls. 45-51.
• 8. Marius Peersen, Haukur Freyr Gylfason og Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2004). Endurtekinn ölvunarakstur ungra ökumanna. Erindi flutt á
ráðstefnu Félagsvísindadeildar Háskóla Íslands í október 2004. Rannsóknir í félagsvísindum V, 113-1125. Háskólaútgáfan.
• 9. Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson (2007). Mentally disordered prison inmates in Iceland. Kafli í Salize, H.J., Dreßing, H. and Kief, C. (ritstjórar),
Treatment of Mentally Disordered Persons in European Prison Systems - Needs, Programmes and Outcome (EUPRIS), European
Commission. http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_projects/2004/action1/docs/action1_2004_frep_17_en.pdf
• 10. Róbert Spanó, Jón Friðrik Sigurðsson, Ragnhildur Bjarnadóttir og Sigrún Júlíusdóttir (2008). Skýrsla nefndar samkvæmt lögum nr.
26/2007. Könnun á starfsemi Breiðavíkur¬heimilisins 1952-1979. Forsætisráðuneytið:
http://www.forsaetisraduneyti.is/media/Skyrslur/breidavik_skyrsla.pdf

What we know about our
prisoners?
• All Jón and Gísli (and of course many others)
research has helped us focus on certain issues
within the prison population:
– 52% of the prison population in Iceland have active
symptoms of ADHD – thus we are now running a 15
week ADHD programme that is based on the RNR
but been modified – results pending but promising
– Gudjonsson, G.H., Sigurðsson, J.F., Young, S., Newton, A.K. and Peersen, M.
(2009). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). How do ADHD
symptoms relate to personality among prisoners? Personality and Individual
Differences Volume 47, Issue 1, July 2009, Pages 64-68.

What do we know about our
• We also know that a large
percentage (33%) of prisoners
have not finished their
schooling and/or lack training
– There has been an emphasis
on opening up educational
oppertunities for prisoners
whilst in prison and our input
has been to motivate them
and help them find their
strengths and how to use
them
Inga Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir og Guðný Guðbjörnsdóttir.
(2010). ,,Nám er besta betrunin“: Rannsókn á námi
fanga í afplánun. Ráðstefnurit Netlu – Menntavika
2010. Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands.
prisoners?
• Now there are many more
educational options for
prisoners
• Secondary schooling
• College
• University (distance learning)
• Still lacking in vocational
training but various jobs within
the prison that teach them
certain skills
– Gardening
– Woodwork
– Silversmith
– Nuts and bolts

Arts and crafts

What do we know about our
prisoners?
• Bullying was(is) a problem within the prison system. By
networking with other psychologists in the UK (Professor
Jane Ireland) we were able to asses the extent of
bullying within icelandic prisons and do something about
it.
– We found out that there was more bullying going on than we had
thought 57% as well as it being more hidden (52%). Some
prisoners reported being sexually harrassed which we did not
anticipate (this has then gone on to be a major problem) – prison
reglulation made in regard to bullying behaviour in prisons but
also all prison staff got training (by the psychologists) in how to
spot/combat bullying behaviour
– Newton, A.K. and Hjaltason, Þ.V. (2007). Bullying in Icelandic prison populations. Nordic
Network for Psychology and Law. Reykjavík, Iceland – presentation not published

What do we know about our
prisoners?
• From our research on ADHD we also found out
that about 50% of our inmates had a substance
abuse problem – used this information to secure
funding for a drug treatment unit within Litla
Hraun prison
– We now run a 3 month programme within the prison
supported by the psychologists (supervision) and the
AA as well as having two full-time staff members on
the unit.
Einarsson, E., Sigurðsson, J.F., Guðjónsson, G.H., Newton, A.K and Bragason,
Ó.Ö. (2009). Screening for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and co-morbid
mental disorders among prison inmates. Nordic Journal of Psychatry, Vol 63, No.
5, 361-367

What do we know about our
prisoners?
• From the 1990’s onwards prison staff found that
prisoners behaviour became more challenging.
To tackle the problem we introduced an group
anger management programme.
– According to our research both violent and non
violent offender could benefit from anger
management programmes but repeat offenders are
top priority
• Wood, J. and Newton, A.K. (2003). The role of personality
and blame attributution in prisoners’ experiences of anger.
Personality and Individual differences, 34, 1453-1465.

Where are we heading?
• Prisoners are not mandated to treatment
• They do however want more psychological
help
• We are not able to provide the services
they want nor that the government want us
to provide
– Hire more psychologists
– Train staff to “help” with some of the prisoners
issues

Where are we heading?
• Would like to work within the Good Lives Model
– were a small society and it fits well with us
• Need prison staff to take on more instructional
roles
• However need to be aware of the pressures and
the impact that working within prisons can put on
staff - burnout and antisocial behaviours but
thats for tomorrow....