Gambling in Prisons – A Nationwide Polish Study of Sentenced Men

Despite the abandonment of the criterion of committing illegal acts in the diagnosis of pathological gambling in fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), research confirms the significant link between crime, gambling, and gambling addiction. In Poland, this connection is observed by psychologists working in the prison service, who simultaneously report the need for more structured interactions that would solve gambling problems among prisoners. The lack of any data on the involvement of persons committing crimes in gambling in Poland formed the basis for the implementation of a survey of gambling behaviour and gambling problems among male offenders in Polish correctional institutions. A total of 1,219 sentenced men took part in the study. The research tool included 75 questions, including queries from the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Based on SOGS, the prevalence rate of severe problem gambling was 29.4% over the lifetimes of the prisoners. As many as 13.1% of respondents admitted to having gambled in prison. This activity usually involved cards, bets or dice. More than 74% of incarcerated men who gambled in prison met the criteria for pathological gambling. Prisoners who gambled more in prison than at liberty made up 27.7%. As many as 69.3% of respondents declared that while in prison, they had met fellow convicts experiencing problems because of gambling. The study shows that criminals continue gambling after detention, especially those who are problem gamblers, an overall finding which implies the need to implement preventive and therapeutic interventions in correctional institutions. Resume Malgre l’abandon du critere d’actes illegaux dans le diagnostic du jeu pathologique, dans la cinquieme edition du Manuel diagnostique et statistique des troubles mentaux (DSM-V), la recherche confirme le lien important entre criminalite, jeu et dependance. En Pologne, ce lien est observe par des psychologues travaillant dans le service penitentiaire, signalant en meme temps le besoin d’interactions plus structurees qui resoudraient les problemes de jeu chez les detenus. L’absence de donnees sur la participation de personnes commettant des delits aux jeux d’argent en Pologne a servi de base a la mise en œuvre d’une enquete sur les comportements et les problemes de jeu chez les delinquants de sexe masculin dans les etablissements correctionnels polonais. Au total, 1 219 prisonniers ont participe a l’etude. L’outil de recherche comprenait 75 questions, dont des questions tirees du South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Selon le SOGS, le taux de prevalence du jeu problematique severe etait de 29,4 % au cours de la vie des detenus. Jusqu’a 13,1 % des repondants ont reconnu avoir joue en prison. Les jeux comprenaient generalement des cartes, des paris ou des des. Plus de 74 % des hommes incarceres qui ont joue en prison repondaient aux criteres de jeu pathologique. Les detenus qui jouaient plus en prison qu’en liberte representaient 27,7 %. Jusqu’a 69,3 % des repondants ont declare qu’en prison, ils ont rencontre des personnes eprouvant des problemes de jeu. L’etude montre que les criminels continuent de jouer apres la detention, en particulier ceux qui sont des joueurs compulsifs, ce qui laisse entrevoir la necessite de mettre en œuvre des interventions preventives et therapeutiques dans les etablissements correctionnels.