Prevention of self-mutilation and suicide among persons serving sentences in correctional institutions of minimum security of the penal system of the Republic of Kazakhstan

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relevance

The problem of self-mutilation and suicidal behavior among convicts in correctional institutions of the penitentiary system in Kazakhstan in general and those serving sentences in minimum security institutions in particular remains relevant, as evidenced by statistics. So, as of January 1, 2022, 1,218 facts of self–mutilation were registered (+2%, 2020 – 1,192), with the participation of 1,232 people (+1%, 2020 – 1,221), of which 875 in institutions (+20%, 2020 - 730), with with the participation of 888 people (+19%, 2020 – 748). As of January 1 , 2023 945 facts of self–mutilation were registered (-22%, 2021 – 1218), with the participation of 961 people (2021 - 1232), of them in institutions – 580 (-34%, 2021 - 875), 587 (2021 - 888) participated [1].
The main reasons for self-injury were disagreement with the established procedure for serving a sentence, the quality of medical services, the court decision, the conduct of a criminal case, in connection with a psychoemotional state, etc.
As for the suicide of convicts in the Penitentiary Institution of Kazakhstan, the "closeness" of the domestic penitentiary system generates various rumors and speculation. According to official statistics, 3 cases of suicide and 65 cases of suicide attempts were registered in 2018. Only in June and July 2019, 2 facts of suicide of convicts happened [2].
As practice shows, one of the reasons for possible suicides among convicts may be the lack of a mechanism for well-functioning interaction between the psychological service and the administration of penitentiary institutions. The consequence of which is insufficient consideration of the importance of psychological assistance to convicts as the most important factor in their resocialization. Consequently, the Rules of Nelson Mandela [3] and other international standards for the treatment of prisoners, the norms of domestic penal enforcement legislation guaranteeing convicts the right to psychological assistance, the implementation of which clearly provides for the duties of the administration of penitentiary institutions to create conditions for providing effective psychological assistance to convicts, are not being fulfilled.
Thus, the administration of penitentiary institutions most often ignores the psychological problems of convicts, who should be assessed for a possible risk of suicide, convicts with an increased suicidal risk should not be left in solitary confinement and they need emergency psychological help.
The purpose of the study is to determine the possibilities of preventing self–harm and suicide among persons serving sentences in correctional institutions of minimum security of the penal system of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the course of the research, general scientific methods such as analysis, induction, deduction, comparison were used, as well as the logical method and the method of generalization. The principles of the methodology of systemic and structural-functional approaches are applied to identify cause-and-effect relationships. Such a method of visualization of concepts as drawing up an intelligence map is used, organizational and managerial conditions for the implementation of psychological work with convicts are highlighted.

RESEARCH RESULTS

Self-mutilation and suicides of convicts are of particular concern in the UMB, since we are talking about an open-type correctional institution, with much less strict conditions for isolating convicts from society, where the risks of such destructive behavior should be minimized. At the same time, destructive behavior is understood as a specific way of interacting with the environment, which is characterized by destructiveness and deviation from social, legal or moral norms [4].
The most common destructive form of behavior in IU UIS is autoaggression. To understand the phenomenon of autodestructive behavior, Figure 1 presents an intelligence map of this concept, which displays its specifics, areas of its research and study, types [5].

In the issue of preventing such behavior , three main directions can be distinguished:
1) the possibilities of psychological and medical services of the IU UIS;
2) supervision of convicts;
3) measures of a criminal executive nature.
Let's consider each of the highlighted directions separately below.

DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS

Possibilities of psychological and medical services of penitentiary institutions.
An expert with special medical knowledge can provide significant assistance in the investigation of cases of self-mutilation, as well as in obtaining new information and evaluating evidence, which in turn contributes to the adoption of legal decisions. The problem of identifying the facts of self-mutilation requires consideration of the legality of the investigation and the evaluation of evidence obtained in the process. In this context, there is also a need to attract a specialist and choose the most appropriate opportunities, scope and methods of conducting expert research.
The problem of detecting and investigating cases of self-mutilation is becoming more and more serious, as difficulties arise in establishing the fact of simulation. The situation is aggravated by the convict's good anatomical knowledge and human physiology, as well as the use of medical instruments and drugs, as a result of which such qualified self-mutilation is quite difficult to recognize.
The prevention of self-harm among convicts should be comprehensive and take into account their age, motives and methods of self-harm. In such conditions, psychophysiological studies play an important role during the timely identification of the facts of self-harm, understanding their motives and methods, as well as in preventing repeated attempts. These studies are becoming more widespread and can provide invaluable assistance in solving this problem [6].
Despite the potential help that psychophysiology can provide in identifying simulations, contacting specialists in this field is a rare phenomenon. Based on this, it is necessary to improve the forensic diagnosis of self-mutilation [7], improve the qualifications of the staff of the penal enforcement system and attract specialists in the field of psychophysiology to investigate cases of self-mutilation. This is especially relevant in light of the high frequency of false versions of self-mutilation presented by convicts.
Prevention of suicide among convicts requires timely diagnosis or recognition of precursors, which becomes the main task of cooperation between prison psychologists and psychiatrists. The analysis of completed suicides in the IU UIS allows us to determine the specifics of suicides, factors and motives of suicidal behavior, aggravated under the influence of penitentiary stress. The main specific aspects are presented in Figure 3 [8, 9].

Fig. 2. During an objective (visual) examination, the convict is found to have a violation of the integrity of the skin in the area of the left forearm. Namely, multiple cut wounds caused by a sharp object (razor, blade, knife). Wounds are 3-4, 4-5 cm long, have sharp corners, smooth edges and a linear shape, and bleed heavily. The blood is bright red, indicating arterial bleeding. Judging by the location of the damage, the radial recurrent artery and ulnar recurrent artery are affected.

In practice, the diagnosis is made on the basis of the established presence or absence of mental disorders and the identification of signs of a potential risk of suicide. As tools of psychological diagnostics it is proposed to use:
1. The multifactorial personality questionnaire (MLO) "Mini-cartoon" by V.P. Zaitsev[10], focused on identifying the most common situational or chronic personality disorders due to extreme living conditions.
2. "Suicide risk Questionnaire" by A.G. Shmelev and I.Y. Belyakova [11], used to determine the level of severity of suicidal intentions in order to prevent fatal suicide attempts.
In order to formulate the goals and objectives of psychological work with the convict, a sketch of the person of a potential client is drawn up, i.e. a sketch of his characteristics (Table 1). This tool allows you to see the behavior, emotional state, daily activities, demographic characteristics, needs and goals of the client.

The next step is the preparation of an indicative thematic plan-schedule of thematic consultation meetings (Table 2).

Fig. 3. During an objective (visual) examination, the convict has an abdominal injury in the form of several superficial (within the skin layer) and one deep wound in the hypogastric region. The wounds were inflicted with a sharp object (blade, razor, knife). Deep incised wound 10-12 cm long, in the transverse direction between the anterior-axillary lines from right to left. The wound has sharp corners, smooth edges and a linear shape, gaping. The bottom is aponeurosis. Surgical intervention is necessary.

Fig. 4. During an objective (visual) examination, the convict has an incised wound in the anterior abdominal wall, namely in the mesogastric region on the left. An incised wound 10-12 cm long, inflicted with a sharp object (blade, razor, knife). It has sharp corners, smooth edges and a linear shape, bleeds, and gapes. The length of the wounded rope prevails over its width. The transverse abdominis muscle may be damaged. Judging by the color and rate of blood loss in this case, it is venous bleeding. Surgery is required.

Fig. 5. Organizational and managerial conditions of psychological work with convicts

The psychocorrection program affects the main aspects of the convict's personality. The use of positive psychotherapy allows for the correction of the emotional-volitional sphere, the formation of motivation for socially acceptable behavior, correction of self-esteem, and also helps convicts to realize the basic values of life and develops their goal-setting. In general, this contributes to the prevention of destructive behavior, including self-harm and suicide.
The above example of psychological work, which takes into account the individual psychological characteristics of each convict, can be recommended to penitentiary psychologists in correctional institutions, especially in the UMB. Such programs reduce the manifestation of self-destructive behavior and contribute to the rehabilitation of convicts.
In the work of penitentiary psychologists, a very important point is the diagnosis of suicidal risk, which allows the psychiatrist to register this category of persons in time. Correctional or rehabilitation measures must comply with regulatory legal acts and instructions that regulate medical and psychological support of activities in the IU UIS, as well as be carried out in accordance with the requirements of professional ethics of a psychologist. Only specialists with appropriate training in psychology and psychotherapy, confirmed by a certificate, should be allowed to such work.
Supervision of convicts.
In order to ensure effective control over persons prone to suicide and self-harm, it is important to place convicted persons on preventive registration in well-visible places, such as sleeping sections of detachments or at the entrance to them. It is also necessary to carry out measures for the timely and complete accounting of such convicts, including the preparation of documentation and the provision of relevant information to the premises of duty services, offices of heads of detachments, medical units, schools and vocational schools. Checkpoints at production facilities should be equipped with file cabinets, photo plates and stands with information about registered persons.
Also, modern technical means of supervision and control are currently being used in the IU of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. So, in a few months of 2023, with the help of CCTV cameras, employees managed to prevent 13 suicide attempts in institutions for convicts [13].
To date, 22 thousand surveillance cameras have been installed in penitentiary institutions of our country. Video surveillance also has an artificial intelligence system that allows not only to identify a person or a vehicle, but also to identify an offense committed by a visual inspection of the territory by the operator.
However, in the UMB, the regime of which is a transitional stage between real isolation from society and without it. For example, convicts held in the UMB are given the opportunity for long trips outside the institution.
In this regard, it seems appropriate to use chip technology against persons serving sentences in the UMB. This "operation" in the IU UIS may look like this: the medical staff of institutions of the penitentiary system will have special thick needles (needle - pin), through which a microchip will be inserted under the skin of a convict who is under anesthesia.
At the same time, this procedure is not a surgical intervention, it is practically painless and safe. It is important to note that for the safety of the body, the chip itself is in a small glass capsule.
Chipping serves as a means of monitoring and ensuring security both inside and outside the settlement colony. Naturally, such a procedure should be voluntary and provide for the issuance of a medical opinion on the absence of any contraindications.
The practicality of the procedure under consideration depends on the motivation of the convicted person to use the state chip service. In order to interest the violator of the law in choosing this procedure, it is necessary to provide him with an official document or certificate that will be issued during the microchip implantation procedure and give its owner certain privileges that are not available to other convicts. This point should be considered and an individual approach should be used.
Thus, the active use of information technology in the UIS seems necessary. Electronic tracking systems provide control over where the convicted person is, as well as his behavior.
Having the ability to be used in various spheres of human life, chipping can be useful in practice right now in the field of execution of punishments. In order to regulate the use of this technology and minimize the risks of its use, it is necessary to consolidate the main aspects at the legislative level, amend existing laws and regulations of the Republic of Kazakhstan. We believe that this will ensure the legality of the introduction of microchips into the body of certain categories of citizens of our country in order to prevent crime in general and evasion from serving a sentence in particular.
Measures of a criminal executive nature
As another effective means of preventing self-harm among convicts, measures of a criminal executive nature act. Thus, it seems expedient to fix in the penal enforcement legislation a norm according to which the period of time that the convicted person spent in medical institutions in connection with self-mutilation is excluded from the term of serving a sentence. In particular, such a provision may be added to Article 131 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan [14].
This may further motivate convicts to comply with the regime of the IU of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, especially the UMB, including the prevention of self-mutilation. These measures will contribute to strengthening discipline and maintaining order within institutions, as well as ensuring the safety of convicts and staff.
At the same time, it is important that the competent authority in the matter of changing the punishment should be the court, which can provide an objective and complete assessment of the fact of intentional self-harm. The convict's understanding that by intentionally injuring himself or causing harm to his health, he will contribute to an increase in the term of serving his sentence by his actions, can restrain him from committing such acts. In general, the proposed changes, as it seems, can create additional mechanisms of responsibility for convicts serving sentences in the IU of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in particular the UMB.
As a result, it is important to emphasize that responsibility for the implementation of measures to prevent self-harm and suicide among convicts should be distributed among all services of the correctional institution. This approach will ensure more efficient work and reduce risks for convicts and staff.

conclusion

The need to find directions in the work to prevent them using various psychological, technical and legislative tools is confirmed by the statistics of annual cases of self-mutilation and suicide. Autoaggression is most often singled out as the most relevant destructive form of behavior in the IU UIS. To understand this phenomenon, the paper presents an intelligence map of this concept, which displays its specifics, areas of its research and study, types, and also highlights areas for the prevention of such behavior.
The paper presents an example of psychological work to reduce cases of self-harm and suicidal risks, taking into account the individual psychological characteristics of the personality of convicts, which can be recommended for use by psychologists in the IU of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, especially minimum security. The use of traditional measures and new scientific and technological achievements, in particular, chipping, contributes to the effectiveness of control and supervision of convicts prone to suicide and self-harm. The expediency of applying measures of a criminal executive nature is also being considered. Of fundamental importance is the mandatory assignment of responsibility for the implementation of measures to prevent self-harm and suicide of convicts to all services of the correctional institution.
By implementing all the proposed measures and effective control and coordination of the activities of units in the prevention of self-harm and suicide among convicts by the management apparatus, their number can be significantly reduced. And this, in turn, will help eliminate threats to the personal safety of convicts.

About the authors

Bauyrzhan Turekhanovich Urazalin

Academy of Law Enforcement Agencies under the General Prosecutors Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Author for correspondence.
Email: bauyrzhan.urazalin@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0000-5368-1848

doctoral student

Kazakhstan, Kosshy, Republic of Kazakhstan

Yernar N. Begaliyev

Academy of Law Enforcement Agencies under the General Prosecutors Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Email: ernar-begaliev@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6659-8576
SPIN-code: 1929-3392

Dr. Sci. (Jurisprud.), Professor

Kazakhstan, Koshy

Malik Rsbaevich Mukanov

Kostanay Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan named after Sh. Kabylbayev, Kostanay, Republic of Kazakhstan

Email: alik8385@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4615-7666
SPIN-code: 2316-5222
Scopus Author ID: 57210157241
Kazakhstan, 110005 Republic of Kazakhstan, Kostanay, 11 Abaya Ave.

Berik Mazhitovich Imashev

Eurasian Center for Economic and Legal Studies of the National Academy of Sciences "Narkhoz University"

Email: berikmazhitovich@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0009-0001-8760-9913
SPIN-code: 4888-0942

Candidate of Law Sciences

Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan

References

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