From Persecution to Prison - Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of ...

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among detainees (Table 5). 146 Clinically significant anxiety symptoms werepresent in 54 of 70 detainees (77%). Clinically significant depression waspresent in 60 (86%). PTSD symptoms were somewhat less pronouncedbut nonetheless quite common, and were present in 35 participants(50%). Sixty-three individuals (90%) were symptomatic for at least one ofthese three psychiatric problems. Thirty-one individuals (44%) weresymptomatic for all three. Overall, 72% of the respondents described theirgeneral psychological health at the time of the interview as poor.TABLE 5:Psychological Distress of Survey Respondents (N=70)Mean (s.d.)* Number (%)above cut-off†Anxiety (HSCL-25) 2.41 (.74) 54 (77)Depression (HSCL-25) 2.51 (.67) 60 (86)PTSD (HTQ) 2.50 (.64) 35 (50)Suicidal Ideation N/A 18 (26)* Mean (s.d.) refers to group mean at time of assessment† Refers to percentage of subjects above recommended cut-off (1.75 for HSCL-25 Depressionand Anxiety subscales, 2.5 for HTQ).Frequently reported anxiety symptoms (Table 6) included feeling fearful(64%), nervous or shaky (60%), and restless (54%). Frequentlyreported symptoms of depression (Table 7) included feeling lonely (79%),feeling sad (76%) and experiencing difficulty sleeping (73%). PTSD symptoms(Table 8) frequently reported included recurrent thoughts/memoriesof traumatic events (80%), sudden emotional or physical reactions whenreminded of the most hurtful or traumatic events (70%), avoidingthoughts or feelings associated with the traumatic events (69%), andrecurrent nightmares (56%).Eighteen participants (26%) reported thoughts of suicide while indetention (Table 9). Only 3 (17%) of these individuals, however, reportedthat they had told detention center staff about these thoughts. Two ofthese eighteen individuals reported having attempted suicide while indetention but neither attempt resulted in any significant medical problemsand neither detainee was hospitalized in a psychiatric facility as a result ofthe suicide attempt.146Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed by the HSCL-25. Clinically significantanxiety symptoms were based on a mean greater than 1.75 for the 10-item anxiety subscaleof the HSCL-25. Clinically significant depression symptoms were based on a mean greaterthan 1.75 for the 15 item depression subscale. Clinically significant PTSD symptoms werebased on a mean score of 2.5 or greater for the 16 item PTSD subscale of the HTQ.MENTAL HEALTH OF DETAINED ASYLUM SEEKERS 57
Case #1(DK): “Loneliness and Fear in Jail”19-year-old DK sought asylum in the US after several personaltragedies. After witnessing the murder of both of his parents he wasenslaved by rebel soldiers, who forced him to march at the front linesin battle and to bury the bodies of fallen soldiers. DK was badlybeaten and witnessed the murder of innocent victims, including hisbest friend. When he finally escaped, he had nowhere to go: becausehe had seen combat on the rebel side, he was now wanted by his government.He fled to the US, only to spend two years in jail, includingperiods in cells with convicted criminals.During his time in detention, DK was held in five facilities: one INSdetention center and four county jails. He described how the behaviorof some guards contributed to the stressful environment, including theperpetually looming threat of solitary confinement, a.k.a. “the hole.”The corrections officers yell, ‘Lock in!’… they just yell for no reason…If you go outside to the yard and you wave to someone outsidethe fence, the corrections officer will handcuff you and takeyou to the hole. For anything they can threaten to put you in thehole.At the time of a follow-up interview several months later, DK wassharing a cell with a convicted murderer.I say, ‘Why you kill people?’ He say, because we want themoney, we want the drugs, we don’t care.’ And then he showedme his gunshots… He said they hurt very much, burn like fire.And then I was very scared. … My celly says, ‘You’re too nice.You’re here with a bunch of criminals, they’ll work over you.You don’t be so nice.’ But I can’t help it, that is my heart.There were two other INS detainees on DK’s cellblock; the rest hadbeen sentenced for drug-related charges or violent crimes. DK wantedto be transferred to a facility where he was housed with INS detainees.In [a cellblock at another facility] we are all INS detainees. Weare not afraid of each other… At [the other facility] we havelong toothbrush, no problem. But here, no, because they willsharpen, make knife.As he was leaving the visiting room, DK added,Nobody know me. I say, if something happened, nobody knowme.58 FROM PERSECUTION TO PRISON
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From Persecution to Prison:The Heal
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CONTENTSAcknowledgements . . . . .
Page 6:
The Bellevue/NYU Program for Surviv
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don, Miranda Ip, and Meriam Alrashi
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Significant symptoms of depression
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Detained asylum seekers participati
Page 15 and 16: persecution, yet most emphasized ho
Page 17 and 18: In many facilities, the response to
Page 19 and 20: years in detention, she finally got
Page 21 and 22: abuse For example, while being take
Page 23 and 24: They didn’t let me use the phone
Page 25 and 26: intensely personal events they had
Page 27 and 28: Limitations of this study include t
Page 29 and 30: Non-governmental organizations serv
Page 31 and 32: 22 FROM PERSECUTION TO PRISON
Page 33 and 34: the late 1990s ranging from 10 to 7
Page 35 and 36: Historical BackgroundFor most of th
Page 37 and 38: international standards with the 19
Page 39 and 40: apply for asylum make up the majori
Page 41 and 42: tion judge. 57 Yet in many parts of
Page 43 and 44: York and Newark, New Jersey has had
Page 45 and 46: trict began denying parole to them
Page 47 and 48: Correctional Facility in 2000. “[
Page 49 and 50: men of which 750 were detained on i
Page 51 and 52: from that same country from seeking
Page 53 and 54: Detention Facilities in this StudyF
Page 55 and 56: high reliability in numerous langua
Page 59 and 60: York County Prison in York Pennsylv
Page 61 and 62: TABLE 2:Demographic Characteristics
Page 63 and 64: TABLE 4:Prevalence of Pre-Migration
Page 65: on a part time basis, researchers w
Page 69 and 70: TABLE 6:Hopkins Symptom Checklist-2
Page 71 and 72: TABLE 8:Harvard Trauma Questionnair
Page 73 and 74: think such services were available.
Page 75 and 76: When I am talking to you now it is
Page 77 and 78: After being granted asylum and rele
Page 79 and 80: “Being here is like going through
Page 81 and 82: In my country even though I became
Page 83 and 84: how long they were there - six mont
Page 85 and 86: Thoughts of SuicideSeveral asylum s
Page 87 and 88: here?’ I told the doctor, they br
Page 89 and 90: Another subject reported a positive
Page 91 and 92: substantial distance from their att
Page 93 and 94: eported that her experience in dete
Page 97 and 98: e somatic manifestations of the psy
Page 99 and 100: Case #2 (JG): “Health Care in Cha
Page 101 and 102: TABLE 11:Detainee Perceptions of He
Page 103 and 104: TABLE 13:Availability and Quality o
Page 105 and 106: detainees, or because they did not
Page 107 and 108: Difficulty Obtaining Specialized Ca
Page 109 and 110: Another detained asylum seeker repo
Page 111 and 112: One detainee who speaks French and
Page 115 and 116: Detention Facilities in this StudyS
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even though many reported having ex
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CASE #3 (HN): “SOLITARY CONFINEME
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Here, I’m scared. In [the detenti
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emote control and watch what he wan
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Whenever someone misbehaves, they t
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This subject was himself threatened
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One detainee reported several incid
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Some Process Exists to Respond to R
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There were no witnesses other than
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tion. An INS officer said they put
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There is an Anglican minister who c
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The dentists didn’t explain anyth
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tion between dental age and chronol
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Case #4 (LK): “Fifteen-Year-Old G
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136 FROM PERSECUTION TO PRISON
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TABLE 16:Treatment/Abuses Reported
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“There is no political asylum her
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I was crying. I was so afraid with
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save her life, but was not able to
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Case #5 (CR): “Begging for Mercy
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ehind and told me to sign. He physi
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days and it is now 2 years and four
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viewers asked for additional inform
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y study participants. In evaluating
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trast, under US law, detention of s
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nation for an asylum determination
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very negative effects of detention
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authority to grant asylum and with
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absconding.” 250 Since the passag
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said “[F]reedom from imprisonment
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Standards relevant to this study ar
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“detained person” generally as
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which they are charged and a fair h
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esponse to substantial public press
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specified procedures, provided they
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PunishmentThe Detention Standard on
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any time the detainee complains.”
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while in detention, thus adding to
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Establish a Uniform National Parole
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that effect. These officers should
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Besides their inaccuracy, these exa
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friends so asylum seekers can maint
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appropriate staffing of such groups
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efugees and asylum seekers who win
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of thorough documentation. However,
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Human development is complex and di
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18. Country from which fleeing pers
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9. Being close to death.10. Forced
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Complete for each health problem:5.
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Explain:(Interviewer: Write brief n
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2. Depression SymptomsA How much we
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B. You said that you have experienc
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Explain:13. How was your physical h
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Yes ...........1No............22. W
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Explain:20. At the time of your arr
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