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DENTON Deborah The Person-in-Environment Perspective A study of the lived experience of practitioners working in a counselling role in the Western Australian prison system Deborah Denton, BSW, B.A (Hons I), BComm This thesis is submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Social Work and Social Policy School of Allied Health University of Western Australia 24 August 2018 Thesis Declaration I, Deborah Denton, certify that: This thesis has been substantially accomplished during enrolment in the degree. This thesis does not contain material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in my name, in any university or other tertiary institution. No part of this work will, in the future, be used in a submission in my name, for any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution without the prior approval of The University of Western Australia and where applicable, any partner institution responsible for the joint-award of this degree. This thesis does not contain any material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. The work(s) are not in any way a violation or infringement of any copyright, trademark, patent, or other rights whatsoever of any person. The research involving human data reported in this thesis was assessed and approved by The University of Western Australia Human Research Ethics Committee. Approval Number RA/4/1/2613 The following approval was obtained prior to commencing the relevant work described in this thesis: Department of Justice (formerly Department of Corrective Services), Research and Evaluation Committee, Project ID 240. This thesis does not contain work that I have published, nor work under review for publication. Signed: Date: 24 August 2018 ii Abstract The Person-In-Environment Perspective The voice and experience of ‘frontline’ practitioners engaged in counselling and rehabilitative work with prisoners in custodial settings is mostly absent from the correctional literature. Although research on working with prisoners exists, the focus is often on outcomes and reduced reconviction rates, rather than the place of the practitioner in the counselling process. This research sought to address this significant gap and specifically explore the ways in which practitioners working in the role of ‘prison counsellor’ in Western Australian (WA) prisons articulate their experience and their understanding of their professional identity. A thematic analysis of the perceptions of prison counsellors using information collected in the interviews provided the data of the lived experience. The theoretical framework used to shape the study is based on Thompson’s conceptualisation—the Personal Cultural Structural (PCS) analysis—and the concept of embedment. As a framework located within an existentialist ontology, it enables a three-dimensional exploration of people’s identity and of what it means ‘to be’ a prison counsellor in the WA prison system within the current historical context. In focusing on the iterative relationship between the person, their community and society, the framework helps to provide a broader understanding of the psychological and sociopolitical factors that impact on prison counsellors’ practice in an otherwise neglected area of research. Thematic analysis of the data suggested that prison counsellors were embedded within a system and environment that was ‘testing’, due primarily to the fact that prisons serve two purposes, security and control, and treatment and rehabilitation of prisoners. The opposing ideologies of imprisonment and counselling resulted in strained interpersonal relationships at times between prison counsellors and custodial staff. Further, it created anxiety for some counsellors as they endeavoured to operationalise a remedial role in an adverse prison environment. The role responsibilities of prison counsellors varied between prison settings and the guidelines for the service were not clearly defined. The organisational focus on risk management over counselling of prisoners resulted in professional discord for some participants. The off-site location of the governing body iii for the Prison Counselling Service resulted in counsellors feeling unsupported by management. The diverse range of participant responses suggested that there was no ‘neat’ or ‘simple’ way to describe counsellors’ experience. This was clearly a group of people who were committed to their work and who had found many aspects personally and professionally rewarding despite the difficult circumstances in which they worked. Some people stood out more than others as possessing critical personal strengths that equipped them to manage the stresses of the role. The findings indicated that this variation was reflective of both existential and experiential factors, and structural and cultural influences within specific prisons. iv Contents Thesis Declaration ........................................................................................................... ii Abstract ........................................................................................................................... iii Contents ........................................................................................................................... v List of Figures ............................................................................................................... viii List of Tables .................................................................................................................. ix List of Abbreviations ...................................................................................................... x Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... xi Glossary .......................................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background to the Study ......................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................ 3 1.3 Motivation for the Study ......................................................................................... 5 1.4 Perspectives in which the Study is Located ............................................................ 6 1.5 Organisation of Thesis ............................................................................................. 7 Chapter 2: Background .................................................................................................. 9 2.1 The Place of Prisons in Society ............................................................................. 10 2.1.1 Origins and Evolution ..................................................................................... 10 2.1.2 Dominant Discourses ...................................................................................... 10 2.2 Prison Counselling: Issues and Challenges ........................................................... 13 2.2.1 The Setting ...................................................................................................... 14 2.2.2 The Client Group: Involuntary, Potentially Dangerous .................................. 15 2.2.3 Defining the Counselling Activity: Ambiguity and Misunderstanding .......... 17 2.2.4 Need for a Unique Approach .......................................................................... 18 2.2.5 Impact of the Role on the Clinician ................................................................ 19 2.3 The Western Australian Prison System ................................................................. 20 2.3.1 The Department of Corrective Services ......................................................... 22 2.4 The Prison Counselling Service ............................................................................ 25 2.4.1 Origins and Development ............................................................................... 25 2.4.2 Current Structure and Role ............................................................................. 27 2.5 Embodied Perspective of Counsellors ................................................................... 29 2.6 Summary Comments ............................................................................................. 30 Chapter 3: Methodology ............................................................................................... 32 3.1 Research Objective and Focus .............................................................................. 32 3.2 Philosophical Underpinnings and Theoretical Perspectives Informing the Study ....................................................................................................................... 33 3.2.1 Existentialism ................................................................................................. 33 3.2.2 Interpretivism .................................................................................................. 33 3.2.3 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................... 35 3.2.4 Phenomenological Perspective ....................................................................... 36 3.3 Method ..................................................................................................................
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