Psychedelic Drugs in Correctional Treatment
D F Duncan
Crime & Delinquency July 1, 1972 DOI: 10.1177/001112877201800307 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Two studies Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 33 |
| Population | Prisoners at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution and inmate-addicts from the Clinical Research Center in Lexington, Kentucky |
| Interventions | Psilocybin LSD |
| Topics | Addiction Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Prison Psychotherapist Value mathematics Hallucinogen Criminology |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Psilocybin and LSD appeared to have positive effects on inmate-subjects, with LSD potentially accelerating certain forms of psychotherapy, though long-term follow-ups were not made. |
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs have been used for individual psychotherapy in prison settings. This paper outlines two studies that explore the use of psychedelic drugs in correction. In 1961 Timothy Leary and Walter Houston Clark administered psilocybin to thirty-three prisoners at the Massachusetts Correctional Insti tution. This program seemed to have positive effects on the inmate-subjects. William H. Lyle gave doses of LSD to inmate- addicts from the Clinical Research Center in Lexington, Ky. Lyle's treatment indicates that LSD can accelerate certain forms of psychotherapy. Since long-term follow-ups were not made on either study, their full value cannot be determined. However, these two programs do indicate that further research should be conducted on the use of psychedelic drugs in the correctional setting.