Cultures and Psychology APS IG Newsletter - APS Member Groups

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Cultures and Psychology APS IG Newsletter April 2012 By Isabel Stepanik Working with CALD Inmates in NSW Prisons Spanish – Speaking Prisoners During my time working in Corrective Services I have had numerous interviews with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) inmates, particularly with Spanish-speaking inmates. The most frequent offences among Spanishspeaking inmates are drug –related. The great majority of Spanish-speaking inmates are ‘first-time offenders on remand’ and they are very much in shock. These inmates are more likely to exhibit severe depression, feelings of anxiety, isolation, loneliness, hopelessness, and feelings of great impotence. For this reason such inmates at this stage are quite vulnerable and very much at risk. Factors Affecting Spanish-Speaking Prisoners The trauma of imprisonment for many Spanish-speaking inmate, or CALD inmates generally, is increased by the following factors: . Lack of communication, due to little or no understanding of the English Language, resulting in lack of knowledge of the prison and legal system; . Isolation, the cause of most of the psychological difficulties mentioned above; and . Differences in values Lack of Communication Lack of English language is a major problem not only for the Spanish-speaking inmates but also for any CALD inmates, since they cannot defend themselves when facing the legal system. Therefore, the sentences may be harsher, worse or more severe because they cannot take advantage of their legal options. For those who do not speak English, the system does not provide or clarify sufficiently the gaol’s rules and regulations, nor inmates’ privileges and rights while in custody. For example, if CALD inmates have grievances or complaints, they are often unable to speak to the Official Visitor (who listens to complaints of both staff and inmates in relation to personal, administration or management issues in the institution) or to the Ombudsman (who deals with Culture and Psychology APS IG Newsletter July 2011 Page 8
Cultures and Psychology APS IG Newsletter April 2012 complaints from anybody in relation to the institution and who can conduct investigations in relation to such matter as deaths in custody, assaults in custody, and so on). To make rehabilitation progress inmates must be able to express themselves, disclose their history of offences, accept responsibility for their behaviour, and be willing to seek and accept counselling and therapy. In the absence of effective communication such aims are difficult to achieve. The problem is well illustrated by the situation faced by Rosita. Rosita’s case Rosita is in her late thirties, married with no children. With seven siblings, she was brought up in a close knit family in South America. After a short visit in Australia, she was arrested for possession of drugs. As she has no prior criminal record, this is Rosita’s first time in an adult prison. She is well educated and had a good employment position in her country of origin. Rosita cannot speak English and until the time of my visit two months after her incarceration, she had been unable to have access to professional staff such as a psychologist, a drug and alcohol counsellor, or a legal officer. The main issue here is Rosita’s lack of communication due to her limited command of the English language. This lack of communication has caused Rosita’s lack of confidence, having to rely on someone else (another inmate who speaks Rosita’s language) at all times, as she is not able to express her feelings. However, the most painful experience for Rosita is the fact that her inability to speak English causes her to be alienated from the rest of the inmates. This, in turn, has produced many psychological problems for her, such as depression, self-pity, and eating as well as psychosomatic disorders, such as stomach pains, headaches and insomnia. Isolation Many Spanish-speaking inmates have no family to visit them while imprisoned, either because they are overseas, because they never married or because the marriage had already broken down. Besides, a lot of these inmates are very lonely, because they are isolated from the rest of the inmate population (as in Rosita’s case) due to the lack of communication in the English language. The lack of news from their loved ones may produce outbursts of anger, feelings of anxiety, or periods of depression which need to be properly understood by custodial and non-custodial Culture and Psychology APS IG Newsletter July 2011 Page 9
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Cultures and Psychology APS IG Newsletter - APS Member Groups

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