The Death Penalty Phenomenon...

It is reported that in the US a total of 1, 086 people have been executed since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Interestingly enough, in California, the penalty was implemented in 1978 but they have only had 13 executions since then. They have 680 convicted offenders on death row, 112 have been there for more than 25 years, 217 have been there for more than 20 years and 546 have been there for longer than 10 years. As you can see, the majority of inmates have been on death row for quite a long period of time. According to psychologists, it is evident that acute psychological disorders occur among the death row population. There is a pattern, among the offenders sent to death row -- similar background of poverty, mental history, dysfunctional families, violence and substance abuse. These factors can all contribute to an individual developing mental illness, either through maturational development, which is crisis induced by occurrences throughout one's life as a whole, life events and processes lead up to this crisis; or accidental situation, which is a specific situation/life event that causes crisis. The discussion in this blog post will explore the psychological impacts of being on death row and will provide another perspective on the death penalty as a means for achieving “justice”.

Tierney M. Garrison, author of Death on the Brain: The Psychological Effects of the Death Penalty Based on the Views of Those Condemned To Die found that prisoners who have developed physical and psychological oddities are exposed and ignored; almost all of them choosing new areas of study while on the death row ( learning about religion, health, games, etc). Garrison interviewed a former resident of the federal Bureau of Prisons to discuss what life was like in prison. Michael Santos was convicted for selling cocaine and sentenced to 45 years in prison. Santos claims that during his sentence he submersed himself in studies. Apparently this helped him get through the years in prison. Also, the study of literature and other similar activities was used as a relief, and often an escape from the small, dull, confined cell he had to live in. According to Santos, this was normal- - in fact many other prisoners became more interested in learning, and studying. Already there is a change in personality within the inmates. The inmates are using reading and studying as an act of escape – whereas previously they had turned to drugs and violence. Ironically, the replacement of drugs/alcohol with books is a good change that death row provides. However, death row inmates also undergo negative changes....

These images show the confined spaces
inmates have to live in

The uncertainty of execution date, the fear of death and pain, the lengthy isolation they are exposed to and possibly mistreatment on the death row can have profound impacts on inmates – these impacts are characterized as the “Death Row phenomenon” where the only certainty is the certainty of death. This behaviour illustrates the Id, Ego, Superego theories (Sigmund Freud, 1894). Hard living on death row, the anger, fear and frustration towards the courts, the legal system can be so overwhelming that an inmate may choose “repression as a form of coping” – repression being one of Freud’s classic defense mechanism. Eventually, some inmates "snap". This outbreak is called the "Death Row Syndrome". The death row syndrome is the psychological effects that can result from being exposed to the death row phenomenon. This outbreak and “snap” are caused by repressed anger, confusion and uncertainty. Because of this repression, the tension builds up over the years (inmates stay on death row for 10-25 years on average) and they “snap”. They lose control and their Id overpowers their Superego which causes this outbreak. Their Thanatos (thanotic energy) is released and most of the time they cope by using poor externalization methods (physical violence). The inmates' animalistic drive breaks out and become impulsive and violent; these drives surpass the facade shown by the Superego.

Another change in personality occurs within some inmates; they become very dependent on order and schedules. An inmate’s life-span on death row averages approximately 10 years. Because of the uncertainty of their condition, inmates look forward to and follow schedules and recreational time. Inmates tend to become nostalgic and replay moments and memories in their heads leading up to being on death row and participate more in story-telling activities. The story telling and nostalgic memories are indicators of self-pity, contrition and/or remorse. Santos indicates that prisoners become very worrisome, vulnerable and impatient. The dependency on schedules and displaying new characteristics are a clear indicator that there is definitely a personality change. The inmates become more conscientious and neurotic, according to the Big 5 Personality Traits. It is evident that living on death row can impact inmates so significantly that it results in a major personality change.

To conclude, the current implementation of capital punishment in the US has resulted in a “zombie” state for the convicted. Their life or “non-life” spent on death row (an average of 10 to 25 years) results in positive and negative changes on their personality. When examining the impact of the ‘death row syndrome”, one questions if capital punishment is the means to achieving “justice”.

Work Cited:

Garrison, Tierenney M. Death on the Brain: The Psychological Effects of the Death Penalty Based on the Views of Those Condemned To Die. Eisenhower Parkway: ProQuest LLC, 2009. Pg 1-18, 28-29. Print.

Lynch, Mona. "Capital Punishment as moral imperative", Punishment & Society. California: Sage Publications, 2002. 213-236. Print