Assessment_2015_Ruta

THE PRISON DEPARTMENT UNDER THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF
LITHUANIA PANEVEZYS DISTRICT PROBATION SERVICE
THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY
Officers Perception of Existing Educational Methodologies Used
in Panevezys District Probation Service & Panevezys Correction
House
Ms. Ruta Januleviciene
Project ,,Psychodrama and Creative Education in Prison” Coordinator
2015

THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY:
Officers Perception of Existing Educational Methodologies Used in Panevezys District Probation Service & Panevezys
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23
FOREWORD
After the pedagogical and practical psychodrama training conducted by the Romanian
Psychodrama Association and the London Centre for Psychodrama Individual & Group
Psychotherapy I started to give psychodrama sessions with warm-up exercises for ex-
prisoners during the project “Psychodrama and creative education in prison” in the
Panevezys District Probation Service. Since then I have provided practical seminars by the
use of psychodrama techniques to disabled people, other groups of society and even
individual consultations.
I am especially pleased and grateful for the notes of the method of psychodrama, guidelines
and warm-up exercises to the Leaders and Trainers of the Romanian Psychodrama
Association and the London Centre for Psychodrama Individual & Group Psychotherapy. I
am very thankful to the whole Team of the Panevezys District Probation Service, especially
Mr. Edmundas Toliusis, Director of the Panevezys District Probation Service, for the
opportunity to join the project and conduct psychodrama sessions for ex-prisoners
together with the Panevezys District Probation Service Probation Department senior
specialist Lina Motuzienė and/or inspector Irina Vitonienė in the Panevezys District
Probation Service.
I have always tried to show that my approach was meant as much more than a
psychotherapeutic method, my ideas and arrangements for seminars have had different
subjects and aims for ex-prisoners and I have emphasized that empathy, creativity and
spontaneity affect the very roots of personal and spiritual development, and thus affect our
happiness and involvement in every sphere of lives. Furthermore, I always wanted that
those seminars would help people to discover themselves as unique personalities and to
face their challenges with dignity and strength.
I am further pleased and thankful for the Leaders of the project ,,Psychodrama and Creative
Education in Prison” that the method of psychodrama has been used with ex-prisoners in
Panevezys District Probation Service for the first time in Lithuania. The results of the
survey show the importance of applicability of this method more widely in Lithuanian
prison settings and other probation services.
The last and foremost, I would like to thank the many people who have been part of the
Grundtvig Partnership programme project “Psychodrama and creative education in
prison”. These are the people who are in the field, who are on the front lines, so to speak.
They are people who know the problems and are providing real solutions. They are people
of faith, law enforcement officers, prison officials, social workers, psychologists, prisoners
and ex-offenders. They direct, participate, advise, collaborate, and work on this project.
Many thanks to them All.
R. Januleviciene, 2015
,,Psychodrama and Creative Education in Prison” | Nr. LLP-GRU-MP-2013-LT-00180

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INTRODUCTION: BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH, METHODS, AND AIMS
Psychodrama group is action oriented method of psychotherapy. Psychodrama is not
“therapy” in the medical sense of the word, but an emotional experience within the
framework of an interpersonal encounter with spiritual values of its own. This experience
may or may not make the participants more aware of themselves or more balanced. In any
case, the goal is not to produce “cure”, but simply adopt warm-up exercises of psychodrama
in the work with ex-offenders in order to help them become as spontaneous and creative as
possible within the boundaries of each individual’s personal limitations, develop their
interpersonal skills and fulfill their personal aspirations.
Aim:
• The aim of this survey is to research the employers’ opinion regarding the use of
psychodrama therapy in Panevezys Correction House and Panevezys District Probation
Service. The research also includes comparative studies of the results of the same survey
made in 2013.
Objectives:
• To examine employers’ perception of psychodrama therapy in Panevezys District
Probation Service and Panevezys Correction House.
• To analyze psychodrama therapy’s impact as group therapy and role playing for
prisoners and ex-prisoners in Panevezys District Probation Service and Panevezys
Correction House.
Method:
• The used method was a survey which contained seven items regarding personal
information, information about general reintegration activities, information about
psychodrama therapy in probation and prison settings (usefulness, known types of
activities, frequency of use, the relationship between psychodrama therapy and different
aspects of physical and psychological wellbeing and the relationship among psychodrama
therapy and other types of therapies ran by Lithuanian prisons and probation services).
The survey with staff was carried out throughout April to May, 2015. 60 questionnaires
were distributed: 30 to Panevezys District Probation Service and 30 to Panevezys
Correction House. Finally, 50 completed questionnaires were returned, amounting to a
response rate of 83,3 per cent of respondents.
SCOPE AND LIMITS OF THE STUDY:
Psychodrama group therapy is now used as a significant and respected therapeutic method
around the world. In Lithuanian prison settings and probation services psychodrama
therapy has been known for the first time thanks to this project. Prior the distribution of
survey, the following has been done:
• The sequence of questions has been changed.

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• The items under the question No. 6 ,,What is Psychodrama therapy used for, and in
which degree?” have been adopted regarding programmes ran by Lithuanian prisons and
probation services.
The results of surveys made in 2013 and 2015 reflect strictly the subjective opinion on
these investigated issues.
RESPONDENTS’ DESCRIPTION
A total of 50 staff were completed questionnaires between April and May, 2015, including
Director General, Deputy Director General, Chief of Municipality Probation Office, Chiefs,
Senior Inspectors and Inspectors from Administration, Probation, Social Rehabilitation,
Guard and Security areas of Panevezys Correction House and Panevezys District Probation
Service. Employers ranged in age from 18 to over 40. The majority of respondents were
women over 40 years old. The study included 50 staff from the three main departments:
probation, social rehabilitation and guard & security.
Table 1 Profile of 2013 & 2015 Survey Respondents
Staff of Panevezys Correction House and
Panevezys District Probation Service
41 in
2013
% 50 in
2015
%
Age:
18-25 N/A N/A 1 2
26-35 7 17 13 26
36-40 9 22 17 34
over 40 25 61 19 38
Gender:
Women 30 73 44 88
Men 11 27 6 12
Departments:
Guard & Security 1 2,4 11 22
Social Rehabilitation 10 24,4 11 22
Administration 4 9,8 5 10
Probation 26 63,4 19 38
Psychology N/A N/A 3 6
Other N/A N/A 1 2

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ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
The employers of both institutions consider that the quality of the social activities carried
out in their organizations is quite efficient. In addition to this more and more inmates
perceive participation in social rehabilitation programs not only as possibility to be
conditionally released under probation supervision but as useful and meaningful activities.
According to Simona Mesoniene (2009) successful resocialization of convicts requires not
only social support, but also elimination of the underlying causes of criminal activity and
reduction of the risk of recurrent criminal behaviour (risk). Research has proved that
rehabilitation and correction programmes are quite effective at reducing recidivism. It is
also proven that skill-improvement programmes can be successful in subjects on
probation1
.
1
https://www.mruni.eu/upload/iblock/2d8/13mesoniene.pdf

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The majority of respondents think that psychodrama therapy is useful in reintegration
process of inmates. In Lithuania social rehabilitation of inmates is organized bearing in
mind the possibilities and peculiarities of penitentiary institution, the length of the
sentence, serving conditions and using individual, group or massive forms, psychological
and pedagogical methods. The process of social rehabilitation is based on implementation
of programs. Accordingly positive results of respondents show that psychodrama therapy
might be used in combination with other therapies such as cognitive-behavioural therapy,
creative arts therapies and group analysis, depending on the training of the therapist and
the nature of the problem. The negative responds show that some employers who have
never experienced psychodrama for any substantial amount of time are afraid of
psychodrama as a therapeutic method. Many tend to overdramatize its process and
emphasize its presumed dangers.

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The following results showed that majority of employers don’t know the answer what role
of Psychodram Therapy might play in Anger Management as well as in Release of Emotions
process. Penitentiary Institutions and Probation Services in Lithuania ran behavioral
correction program ,,EQUIP’’. “Equip” is a cognitive behavioral programme designed to
teach young people to think and behave responsibly. It involves 40 sessions on anger
management, social skills and mutual assistance. The goal of “Equip” is to motivate and

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empower young people to help one another. It applies to minors and young people in
correctional institutions and probation services2
. The Psychodrama Therapy might be
applied in the above mentioned programme because it creates safe environment in which
offenders and ex-offenders could play their involvement in a criminal action once again in
order to increase their self-understanding about the nature of their crime and anti social
behavior. Psychodrama allows for the safe expression of strong feelings and, for those who
need it, moves from “talking about” into action and gives opportunities to heal the past,
clarify the present and try out new behaviours.
of Psychodram Therapy might play in adjustment to prison environment. According to
Good Practice Guide of the project ,,Psychodrama and Creative Education in Prison” (2015)
psychodrama therapy contributes efficiently to a creating a positive learning environment
in prison. Using psychodrama techniques with inmates enhances their chances to change,
to adopt appropriate behaviours, to succeed in cognitive reframing through exposure to
new learning situations, and to assume a new socially acceptable role and identity3
.
2
Kalėjimų departamento prie Lietuvos Respublikos teisingumo ministerijos 2011-02-19 „2010 metų veiklos ataskaita“
Nr. NV-74 [2010 Annual Report of the Prison Department under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania No
NV-74 of 19 February 2011] [interactive]. [accessed on 27-09-2011]. <http://www.kalejimudepartamentas.lt/?
item=vkl_at_mt&lang=1>.
3
http://psychodramainprison.ro/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/GOOD-PRACTICE-GUIDE-PSIHODRAMA_web.pdf

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The majority of respondents do not know the answer. By implementing the project
,,Psychodrama and Creative Education in Prison” it could be concluded that psychodrama
therapy could be crucial not only for occupation of offenders and ex-offenders, but also for
reduction of self harm and improvement of their well being. One of the best examples is
HMP Grendon prison. HMP Grendon prison operates as a therapeutic community since
1962. Grendon is a Therapeutic community which involved Community Meetings; Group
Meetings; Creative Therapy; Community Activities; Work and Education. There are special
therapeutic units where inmates face up their crimes through group therapy, art therapy
and psychodrama4
. Research studies show that this pioneering approach to rehabilitation
produces extraordinary results. According to Jinnie Jefferies (2015) research shows by
comparing Prisoners have attended Grendon and those on a waiting list who have
committed violent sexual or any other offence and attend Grendon and who stays longer
than 18 months reduce there offending compared to those who did not come5
.
4
Jinnie Jefferies, Head of Psychodrama HMP Grendon Underwood (2015) Progress Report HMP Grendon Underwood,
Grendon Underwood, Buckinghamshire.
5
Jinnie Jefferies, Head of Psychodrama HMP Grendon Underwood (2015) Progress Report HMP Grendon Underwood,
Grendon Underwood, Buckinghamshire.

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Psychodrama therapy is an important activity that sustains the development of new skills
and explores unresolved personal feelings and thoughts in the opinion of few respondents.
Through this process, prisoners and ex-prisoners could be helped to bring to closure
unresolved issues which have prevented them from developing more adequate life-coping
skills.
The half of respondents of both institutions considers the role of Psychodrama in
behavioral correction program quite efficiently. „Behavior-Interview-Change“ is individual

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program for motivation in changing antisocial behavior of ex-prisoners. Behavior-Change-
Talk is a semi-structured programme, which consists of 5 to 7 interviews. This program is
basically designed for individual motivation of ex-offenders and ran by all Probation
Services in Lithuania.
of Psychodrama Therapy might play in preventing collective tensions through self-groups
of conviction of violent crimes. Based on project “Psychodrama and creative education in
prison” partners’ experience it could be concluded that psychodrama is a key in the work
with sexual and violent offenders.

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The respondents of both institutions consider possible benefits of psychodrama therapy in
social skills improvement. The psychodrama sessions organized with ex-offenders in the
Panevezys District Probation Service showed that it helped them to develop their basic and
interpersonal skills. During the psychodrama and creativity sessions ex-prisoners learned
from each other, new ideas and transfer of ,,what works”. Target group learning in the
Panevezys District Probation Service is not just about knowledge acquisition. It’s about
,,learning for life” and ,,finding good examples how to improve their relationship with
family and loved ones” in society.

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The majority of employers don’t know the answer what role of Psychodrama Therapy
might play in developing and maintaining a high self-esteem. The practical results of
psychodrama and creativity sessions with ex-offenders in the Panevezys District Probation
Service highlighted the fact that it helped them positively assess and love themselves and
to increase their personal development, confidence and interpersonal skills. By attending
the sessions ex-offenders improved motivation – preparation for reintegration and
employability. It also increased their capacity to act as responsible citizens.
The vast majority of emplyers of both institutions consider that the presentation of good
practice examples of psychodrama therapy to the society may consolidate partnership
between local authorities and non-governmental sector. The participating organisations
benefited from the results of this partnership project “Psychodrama and creative education
in prison” by gaining knowledge, skills, new competences and experiences regarding
psychodrama and other intervention methods with prisoners and ex-prisoners. Through
local and international media the activities and results of the project “Psychodrama and
creative education in prison” has been highlighted to professionals and general public. The
created website http://psychodramainprison.ro/ enhances the public perception on both
custodial challenges and educational opportunities.

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The vast majority of respondents of both institutions don’t know what kind of role could
play psychodrama therapy in prevention of criminal subculture indications in
penitentiaries. The majority of Lithuanian penitentiary are colony type institutions, where
criminal subculture, traditions and hierarchy has a significant impact on the behavior of
convicts. Newly arrived convicts participate in adaptation program in order to eliminate
violence and negative peer pressure in penitentiaries. Therefore it should be considered
the possibility to involve some methods of psychodrama therapy in adaptation program
with the aim to secure psychosocial environment of pedagogical interaction.

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The less half of respondents consider that psychodrama therapy might play a significant
role in social reintegration and problem solving. By using action methods of psychodrama
prisoners and ex-prisoners can re-play past concerns and uncover thoughts and feelings
that may not be accessed solely through talk therapy. Psychodrama enhances problem
solving insight and encourages communication, clarifies issues, improves physical and
emotional well-being, and fosters skills development necessary for social reintegration
and problem solving.
The majority of employers do not have answer how psychodrama therapy might be useful
in risk reduction. However the UK experts of the London Centre for Psychodrama
Individual & Group Psychotherapy emphasized the importance of creating a constant
parallel between psychodrama therapy and risk reduction assessment. Once again it shows
the wide possibilities of application of psychodrama method not only in rehabilitation
programs but also in risk assessment. The prison settings of Lithuania confirmed and use
the following methods of risk assessment of offenders:
• HCR-20 Assessing Risk for Violence;
• Historical, Clinical, Risk Management – 20;
• PCL:SV Hare Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version;
• SVR-20 The Sexual Violence Risk;
• SARA The Spausal Assault Risk Assessment;
• B-SAFER Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk•
_______________
The Panevezys District Probation Service organized once a month psychodrama and
creativity sessions for ex-offenders. The target group consisted of women and men who
committed:

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• Murders
• Burglaries
• Sexual abuse
• Domestic violent offences or
• Offences made under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The group has got possibility to participate in the following themes of the sessions run by
the project coordinator Ruta Januleviciene along with the Panevezys District Probation
Service Probation Department senior specialist Lina Motuzienė and/or inspector Irina
Vitonienė:
• What makes me happy?
• How to get rid of negative emotions?
• My life goals
• High-quality communication with close family members
• How to manage your anger?
• How to love yourself and be happy?
• How to create warm interpersonal relationship with other people?
It has been received very warm and positive feedbacks from the participants who attended
the sessions. In the psychodrama sessions have been used warm-up exercises, role-playing
and role reversal, the empty chair technique, group mandala and interview/pairs: “draw
your hand” The exercise “draw your hand” was very well received and has been
transferred into the work with inmates and ex-offenders by All Project Partners as the best
practice example proposed by the project coordinator Ruta Januleviciene. This exercise
encourages group members to build interpersonal connection, enhances listening skills and
empathy, and focuses a group on its task.

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Almost the same results received while in 2013 regarding psychodrama therapy in
practice. It highlights a demand of training in psychodrama therapy for employers of
Lithuanian prison settings and probation services.
When discussing in relation with other correctional and probation activities (work,
educational programs, school, professional training, psychological counseling and sport
activities), psychodrama therapy appears to have almost the same efficiency degree of
importance. In psychodrama therapy offenders and ex-offenders confront their crimes,
take responsibility for their actions and explore their lives, their pasts, their childhood, to
try to uncover why they have done what they have done and how to avoid doing it again. It
brings very significant changes in offenders’ social habits and criminal behavior. Therefore
Psychodrama therapy becomes one of possibility to promote employers competences and
skills as well as to enhance the new rehabilitation opportunities for prisoners and ex-
prisoners.
Psychodrama therapy is one of the methods used for this purpose. These results are shown
below (pages 15-18).

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CONCLUDING REMARKS
International organizations as the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNEC) and
the Council of Europe (Reccomendation Nr. R (89) 12 of the Committee of Ministers to
Member States on Education in Prison) endorse correctional education standards, which
would not be listed all but the most important to this project ,,Psychodrama and creative
education in prison” are:
…,,Creative and cultural activities should be given a significant role because they have a special
potential for enabling prisoners to develop and express themselves”…
…,,Educational opportunities should aim at developing the whole person, bearing in mind the
prisoner’s social, economic and cultural background”...
Grundtvig partnership project “Psychodrama and creative education in prison” brought an
innovative approach, creativity, knowledge, training and exchange of good practice among
participating institutions and provision of psychodrama therapy for offenders and ex-
offenders at the highest quality level.
Thanks to this project ,,Psychodrama and creative education in prison” employers and
volunteers of the Panevezys District Probation Service transferred new learning approach
into the running program entitled ,,Education Groups for Men who Batter – the Duluth
Model”. Involvement of ex-offenders into psychodrama and creative educational sessions
ensured that educational activities are relevant and “work for end users”. This was seen as
very useful activity for all participants because the use of psychodrama warm-ups exercises
and techniques for ex-offenders brought the following advantages and limitations:
Advantages:
• Brought experience into present, learned from each other and transferred of “what
works”.
• Psychodrama sessions have been very creative, spontaneity, flexible and
emotionally powerful for ex-offenders.
• Exchanged good examples from each other how to improve their relationship with
family and loved ones in society.
• Practiced empathy, listening and interpersonal skills.
• Developed group cohesion.
• Increased ex-offenders employability and occupation.
Limitations:
• Some clients resisted taking part in exercises in the beginning but after certain
observations and group peer pressure joined the group.
• It could be very emotionally powerful not only by the person who shares personal
life story and cries but also by other group members. It created group cohesion and
intimacy among group members.

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The practical work with ex-prisoners showed that psychodrama and creativity sessions
helped them better understand themselves and their history, overcome fears, improve
their intimate and social relationships, express and integrate blocked thoughts and
emotions, practice new skills or prepare for the future. Based on these outcomes
psychodrama therapy might be successfully applied in social reintegration programs for
prisoners and ex-prisoners in Lithuanian prison settings and probation services. It also
highlights the demand of capacity building in psychodrama therapy for personnel of the
Lithuanian prison settings and probation services.
The last I would like to close the results of this survey with poem from “The Words of the
Father”6
:
“There is a bond
Between me and men.
Between we and each man, separately,
Between you and every other man;
Between your race and every other race,
Of whatever age, rank or future (1).
All men are born to create.
No one shall have power
Who does not create
No one shall have more power
Than he creates
You shall learn to create.
You shall learn to create me (2).”
6
“The Words of the Farther”, Beacon House, a book published by J.L. Moreno anonymously, Vienna, 1920, Beacon, N.Y., 1941,
p. 115 (1); p.137 (2) (opus cited, p. 137).

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