shrooms for prisoners?

[MeDieViL]

i came up with this idea a few days ago
i think it would help alot to give a prisoner a Psychedelic Drug, to change their outlook on life and turn them into good persons again?

what are you toughts on this?

 

[Carsick]

Psychedelic drugs do not a good person make.

 

[34-dihydroxyphen]

Timothy Leary actually did a study like this (when he was still a practicing scientist). Try and google it. I think the results were promising, but than again, we are talking about Leary. I take all of his research with a grain of salt.

 

[nbsp]

I think psychedelic drugs should be further explored in conjuction with psychotherapy and whatnot, with the purpose of eventually using them to help rehabilitate inmates among other things...but that doesn't mean I believe all criminals should simply be fed hallucinogens. See Carsick's post.

however in the case of people so conditioned as prison inmates, I agree there is certainly a use for tools such as psychedelics capable of probing into the deeper reaches of the human mind. Maybe someday.

 

[AuraithX]

what are schrooms :D

 

[Carsick]

I agree with nbsp, and not just because he agreed with me.

 

[Splatt]

Leary did use mushrooms with prisoners to basically make them "become a better person". and to make sure they do not go back to jail. The success rate was something like 75% or more of people not returning... compared to the average of about 4 times less.

But his work was badmouthed, and people were saying the mushrooms were not the cause of these people not going back to prison, it was because of the psychotherapy (of course, why else would a prisoner take mushrooms) AND the fact Leary and his team would make sure they got jobs and found places to live.

 

[delta_9]

schrooms?
anyway, could you explain why you think taking a psychedelic drug would have a positive effect on a prisoner. Having taken mushrooms 7 times, as well as a slew of other drugs, I'm not temted to be a better person in any way. Then again, I'm not serving a prison sentence

 

[subopm420]

^^ hmmm this is interesting... so was it the mushrooms or the help in getting jobs, house, ect and therapy? unfortunatly we will never know as i think it would be totally unethical to just give half the inmates mushrooms but no help and the other half both. the shrooms could end up harming the unlucky ones more than helping them.

still, an interesting idea that could definitely work, although not without a guide and extensive psychotherapy (which then begs the first question...)

edit:was referring to splatt.

 

[Ismene]

Leary did use mushrooms with prisoners to basically make them "become a better person". and to make sure they do not go back to jail. The success rate was something like 75% or more of people not returning... compared to the average of about 4 times less.

.

Nah, it turned out Leary cooked the figures. He was doing something like comparing the recidivist rate of people who had been free for 10 years with the rate his mushroom guys had over 6 months.

When you compared the real figures there was next to no difference.

 

[swilow]

Either way, I think prisoners should have mushrooms, for relief of insane 'justice', if anything.

 

[subopm420]

well, i think everyone should have mushrooms, prisoners included. would do all of us a world of good to gain a new perspective

edit: thanks delta

 

[delta_9]

^i think you mean "world of good", had to read it like 5 times to realize what you mean to say, lol. Anyway, a new perspective can be good or bad, what if one of those inmates has a bad trip? He's not a free man, he can't buy more and see what a good trip is like. He's stuck with that bad trip, which can turn itself into so many bad things, both during and said trip.

 

[subopm420]

thats a good point, but begs the question, what is a bad trip? personally ive never had one, and could never understand having one. (knock on wood)

im not saying they dont exist, but i do believe that they are entirely avoidable (unless of course there are underlying mental issues, but then youve got no business tripping in the first place.)

i always make sure the set (and to a lesser extent) the setting is right. i would hope that no one would be given shrooms until after they underwent extensive therapy.

 

[delta_9]

I agree completely with what you said. I also have never had a bad trip, and fail to understand them as well. It seems that the main focus of a bad trip is both negative visuals and negative thoughs, both of which can be flipped around, at least for me. Personally, no matter what visuals I'm having, I enjoy them, I could have a visual of a plane crashing into my house, killing my whole family, and i doubt I'd even be phased since i dont take visuals seriously, i know it's all in my head. As for negative thoughts, this is a bit trickier to deal with, but I'm usually in a safe enough environment that if/when I start to have bad thoughts, which I often do when on mushrooms, I just plan to deal with them when I'm sober, since I know i'll be thinking more clearly and will be able to make a more rational desicion whem I'm sober.

 

[swilow]

If the bad trip for the 'prisoner' involves a recognition of his/her flaws and what lead them to this place, maybe thats the ultimate therapy? Subopm I just don't think psychedelics are all light and love, thats just not real- their representative of life really, compressed into a short span. Iboga seems like it would be better then mushrooms at facillitating complete life change, as its effective in heroin/other drug addiction (well debatebly effective).

Another answer to the question proposed by the OP (i hate that impersonal term and will no longer use it!!!!) MeDieVil would be actually a question- aren't all humans prisoners of biology, space/time, environment, culture etc.- and does not the psychedelic trip help (some) to escape the bonds? Good person is subjective, so perhaps complete persona would have been better to say.

Prisoners of the mind, free riders on the waves of soul, flying to the better land of no diffferences and no sames.

 

[delta_9]

If the bad trip for the 'prisoner' involves a recognition of his/her flaws and what lead them to this place, maybe thats the ultimate therapy?

thats not a bad trip, at least, not in the traditional sense. I suppose each person has their own defenition of "bad trip", and for me, that would be someone thinking they were gonna overdose or even die, and spend thier entire trip focusing on these negative thoughts.

 

[swilow]

^^^That would not be the definition of a bad trip, but a panic attack during a trip- theres a difference.

 

[subopm420]

Subopm I just don't think psychedelics are all light and love, thats just not real

they arent, i dont think i ever said they were (well, ive said something to the effect before, but only pertaining to my own experiences and the outcomes of such). psychedelics are what you make them; they facilitate introspection and give new perspective on the world as a whole. for me, and for many people, this leads to a greater appreciation for positive human interaction (aka love) and a generally brighter outlook. psychs help me understand my own feelings and thoughts, but also those of others; and what you can understand you can accept... so i guess maybe acceptance? although there are tons of 'hippies' who take it full circle. i.e. your no good unless you do what we do, which is no better than the suits who they are rebelling against. these people totally miss the point though, and should simply be ignored.

their representative of life really, compressed into a short span

never really thought of it in those terms, but i agree. however, could you kind of explain your idea more to me, i dont know if i totally understand what your getting at.

If the bad trip for the 'prisoner' involves a recognition of his/her flaws and what lead them to this place, maybe thats the ultimate therapy?

actually, thats basically what i thought was ment when we said 'give mushies to some convicts.'

 

[dilated_pupils]

Why I think shrooms can be used recreationally to view your insights a bit more, I doubt an experience with them for a prisoner would be positive in most aspects. Think about how it could effect people who are having a tough time coping with jail, and all the changes.