This blog post reports on a research study undertaken by Dr Jennifer Ferguson that examined what factors need to be considered when designing and implementing alcohol screening and brief interventions (ASBIs) within a female open prison in England. [Includes a short video outlining the research]

The psychological impact of imprisonment remains a concern and one key aspect is the impact of multiple transitions into, between, and out of prison. Each transition can be difficult for people in prison to negotiate. The ability of individuals to manage these transitions can be linked to the process of identity transformation that was first conceptualised by Strauss (1962). It is suggested that people experience ‘turning points’ or ‘critical incidents’, where they can move between their old status as an offender and their new pro-social identity. As part of this, many people serving custodial sentences attempt to address factors that might have contributed to their offending and this frequently includes the use of drugs and alcohol....