Forensic Psychotherapy: Pathologies and Treatment Strategies for Working With Violence

Is the Therapeutic Community the Solution for all Offenders? Reflections on Governing Grendon & Springhill Prison

Offering a prison governor’s perspective, Dr Jamie Bennett talks about the principles by which HMP Grendon is run as Democratic Therapeutic Community. This prison provides group therapy within a social climate which promotes positive relationships, personal responsibility and social participation for men who have elected to be transferred there from mainstream prisons in order to gain insight into their violent behavior. Therapeutic Communities address interpersonal relationships, emotional regulation, self-management and psychological wellbeing. To foster these skills, the residents at Grendon participate in group therapy and structured community living in which they are encouraged to have shared responsibility for day to day decision-making and problem solving on their wing. Dr Jamie Bennett discusses the effectiveness of their work, which is measured in part in terms of improved behavior in the prison community and reoffending statistics.