Meditation research: the state of the art in correctional settings.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology June 1, 2011 DOI: 10.1177/0306624x10364485 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Correctional populations |
| Interventions | Transcendental Meditation mindfulness-based stress reduction 10-day Vipassana retreats |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Meditation-based programs enhance psychological well-being, decrease substance use, and decrease recidivism in correctional populations. |
Abstract
There is research that serves as evidence in favor of meditation-based programs as rehabilitative for incarcerated populations. This article reviews empirical research regarding the effects of meditation-based programs in correctional populations. Three meditation-based interventions have been shown to represent the majority of empirical research and are reviewed in this article: Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and 10-day Vipassana retreats. Selected dissertation research is reviewed as well. Overall, research suggests three areas in which meditation-based programs provide sufficient treatment to criminal offenders: the enhancement of psychological well-being, a decrease in substance use, and a decrease in recidivism. This suggests that meditation-based programs may be proper treatment programs and support rehabilitation for correctional populations.