Duelos en prisión: Experiencias de las personas privadas de libertad, perspectivas profesionales y Trabajo Social

Abstract

The organization and functioning of Spanish penitentiary centers prioritize the control and security of inmates over psychosocial treatment, which can contribute to the development of pathological grief in those deprived of their freedom. The objective of this study is to analyze the grief experienced by incarcerated individuals during their time in prison from a Social Work perspective. To achieve this, a qualitative methodology was employed using the semi-structured interview technique with four inmates and five professionals from the Spanish penitentiary system. The results revealed that incarcerated individuals experience both interpersonal and intrapersonal grief, often remaining stuck in the anger stage and using dissociation as a strategy to avoid the grieving process. The prison environment itself, marked by a hypermasculine and unreflective atmosphere and a lack of therapeutic resources, exacerbates these griefs and discomforts, making adaptation difficult for inmates, fostering chronic grief, and negatively impacting their physical and mental health. The study emphasizes the need for Social Work in prisons to adopt a critical approach that promotes grief programs and therapies, defends the rights of inmates, and advocates for their role as transformative agents beyond mere institutional control.