Unstructured Interviews In Prisons

A different approach will be used to gain perspectives from prison staff. For the Warden of the prison and counselor(s) I will be using a targeted sample approach. These interviews will be conducted in a semi-unstructured manner. The goal will be focused around their perspectives of cannabis, mental health, and rehabilitation within the prison. These will be semi-structured interviews there will be specific objectives such as gaining knowledge of how many inmates suffer from mental health disorders. What treatments are used to help these disorders? What kind of drug policy the prison has (through the eyes of counselor/warden vs. staff/detainees)? Because there are specific goals, these will be semi-structured interviews, however, this is meant to be more of a discussion and conversation than a structured interview. It will be closer to an unstructured
As previously explained, these interviewees will be randomly selected. If a inmate gets randomly selected, they will have the option to decline the interview. None of the subjects will be referred to by name in the study but rather referred to as inmate 1, inmate 2, and so on. There are also ethical questions about the staff speaking to an outsider about mental health disorders that take place within prison. As no subjects name can be revealed nor can any illness be disclosed. However, not using any names I believe this type of interview can be done. If inmates are ensured confidentiality, I believe they will be open in this conversation as it is being done to see if they can benefit from a different type of drug or rehabilitation policy. Yet, even if names are not used, there could be problems amongst prison stuff and other inmates if they know who participated in the study. This will be clearly explained to each subject prior to the interview and they can deny the interview after this explanation if they chose