Neurotic disorders

.! 2 Daily living and social functioning
12.3 Evidenceof disciplinaryor other peoplewith mentaldisorder(Mehzer et al, 1995c,
management problems
Meltzer et ai, 1996c). For the prison survey, the only
modification made was to broaden the frame of
All respondents were asked two questions to reveal reference from family and friends to "everyone you
evidence of disciplinary problems. Firstly, they were know (indudingthose here at the prison as well as
asked if they had had any spells in cellular
those elsewhere)". This was to reflect the fact that,
confinement ('down the block') since coming to for some young offenders, the most important
prison for the current offence. If they had, they sources of support might be people within the
were also asked how many spells. Secondly, they prison system who might not have been regarded
were asked if they had been given'added days', i.e. as family or friends. Another group of questions
days had been added on to the minimum time they assessed the extent of respondents' social networks.
would be required to serve before being considered More information about the questions themselves
for parole. Strictly speaking, remand prisoners can be found in Chapter 15 of the main report
cannot be given 'added days' although they may be (Singleton et al, 1998).
given prospective added days. Therefore added days
are less frequently used as a punishment for
prisoners on remand; awards such as fines, and loss 12.4.2 Perceivedsocialsupport
of privileges or ceUular confmement are used
instead. In addition, respondents were asked if they The level of perceived social support was low in all
had been held in 'slxipped' conditions, in which all sample groups compared with that found in the
items which could possibly be used for self-harm surveyor psychiatric morbidity among adults in
are removed from the prisoner for their own private households (Meltzer et al, 1995c). Over a
protection, during their current prison term. This quarter of respondents in all groups reported a
is done when prisoners are a danger to themselves, severe lack of social support compared with a little
others or property and is not a punishment, over a tenth of those aged 16-24 in the private
household survey. A further third reported a
Given that sentenced young offenders had spent moderate lack of social support. There was no
longer on average in prison than remand young significant differences between remand or
offenders, it is not surprising that they were more sentenced young offenders or between men and
likely to report having been held in cellular women in the proportions reporting a lack of social
confinement or to have been given added days. For support. (Table 12.3)
example, 38% of male sentenced young offenders
had been held in solitary and 37% had been given
added days, compared with 20% and 17% of male 12.4.3 Extentof socialnetworks
remand young offenders who had been in cellular
confinement or been given added days, respectively. Having a small primary support group of three
There was no difference between the remand and dose friends or relatives or fewer has been shown
sentenced male young offenders in the proportion to be associated with a greater risk of psychiatric
who reported being held in'stripped' conditions, morbidity (Brugha et al, 1993). In the survey of
(Table 12.2) psychiatric morbidity of adults living in private
households six per cent of women and seven per
cent of men said they had a primary support group
12.4 Socialsupport of three or less (Meltzer et al, 1995c). However, the
proportion of young offenders included in this
12.4.1 Assessment of social support survey who had a small primary support group was
'
about twice this: 13% of male remand and 11% of
Perceived social support was assessed from male sentenced young offenders, and 19% of the
respondents' answers to seven questions which female sample. These proportions are closer to the
were originally used in the 1987 Health and figures obtained in the survey of residents of
Lifestyle survey (Health Promotion Research Trust, institutions catering for people with mental
1987) and were also included in the ONS (OPCS) disorder. In that survey the proportion of
surveys of psychiatric morbidity among adults in respondents with a small primary support group
private households and in institutions catering for ranged from 18% of those with affective psychoses
78 PsychiatricMorbidity amongYoungOffenders in EnglandandWales
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