Psychedelic Drugs in Correctional Treatment
Crime & Delinquency July 1, 1972 DOI: 10.1177/001112877201800307 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPsychedelic drugs have been used for individual psychotherapy in prison settings. In 1961 Timothy Leary and Walter Houston Clark administered psilocybin to thirty-three prisoners at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution, with seemingly positive effects on the inmate-subjects. William H. Lyle gave doses of LSD to inmate-addicts from the Clinical Research Center in Lexington, Kentucky, indicating that LSD can accelerate certain forms of psychotherapy. Because long-term follow-ups were not conducted on either study, their full value cannot be determined. These programs suggest that further research should be conducted on the use of psychedelic drugs in correctional settings.
Study at a glance
| 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 Psychology Psychiatry Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | 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.