OLD PERSEANS
Research How can design adaptations be used to improve well-being in prisons? Prison design is typically functionality-driven with a focus on ensuring the security and safety of inmates and prison staff. This can lead to elements of psychological-based design being overlooked. It is potentially worth investing money into design features that will improve prisoner well-being with the potential knock-on benefit of reduced re-offending rates. In Norway’s prison system the primary objective of a custodial sentence is rehabilitation, which is seen in turn to result in reduced reoffending rates. In the UK nearly half (48%) of the adult prison population are reconvicted of another offence within one year of release. In comparison, Norway’s reconviction rate is 20% (Deady, 2014). Halden Prison is an example of Norway’s “humane” approach to incarceration promoting rehabilitation over punishment. I considered four main factors during the design process – light, sound, the natural environment, and the movement and interaction of people.
ISABEL PAINTER
Isabel Painter (Upper Sixth) won the 2020 Rouse Artefact Award for her examination into how design adaptations could be used to improve well-being in prisons.
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odern domestic building design no longer solely focuses on the functionality or visual aesthetic of a space, but on the psychological impact of the building on its inhabitants. The spaces in which we live have a significant impact on our emotional well-being and happiness; therefore, spaces should always be designed with the user’s mental state in mind. In general, there is a greater percentage of the prison population suffering from mental health issues compared to the general population; self-inflicted deaths are 8.6 times more likely amongst the prison population (Prison Reform Trust, 2019). Should there not be greater consideration in use of design to combat this? And what design measures could such institutions adopt? My main aim for this project was to identify and develop design solutions to increase well-being and the mental state of inmates.
1. Natural light is recognised as having beneficial psychological impacts in reducing mental health issues such as Seasonal Affective Disorder and improving physical health through increased vitamin D (Swanson, 2016). As sunlight changes throughout the day in direction and intensity it dictates the body’s natural rhythm, whereas harsh LED lighting (often the main lighting source within prisons) doesn’t give the body clues to times of the day, which can have negative impacts on sleeping patterns. 2. Excess and uncontrollable noise is shown to increase aggressive tendencies (Donnerstein, 1976). One example of the impact of noise on violence was seen in HMP Buckley Hall. After being given foam ear buds to wear whilst sleeping, inmate violence halved (Rochdale Online, 2019).
MY MAIN AIM FOR THIS PROJECT WAS TO IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP DESIGN SOLUTIONS TO INCREASE WELL-BEING AND THE MENTAL STATE OF INMATES.
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