A Model for Improving the Quality of Life of Prisoners in Nan Provincial Prison according to Buddhist Integration

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the current quality of life of prisoners in Nan Provincial Prison; 2) to study the development of the quality of life of prisoners in Nan Provincial Prison based on the Department of Corrections' policy; and 3) to present a model of the quality of life improvement of prisoners in Nan Provincial Prison according to Buddhist integration. This was a qualitative research by analyzing the data from the scriptures, Tipitaka, academic documents, research report, thesis and in-depth interview with 40 key informants. Descriptive content analysis techniques were used. The results of the research showed that 1) the current quality of life of prisoners in Nan Provincial Prison found that  prisoners overcrowded, overflowing with prisons, cramped canteen, shortage of medical supplies, inadequate training facilities; 2) for development of quality of life of prisoners in Nan Provincial Prisons according to the policy of the Department of Corrections, there were an education and training for prisoners, namely a general compulsory course and compulsory curriculum; 3) development model of quality of life of prisoners in Nan Provincial Prison was as follows: for the physical aspect, there should be encouragement to play and compete in sports, health care, medical treatment, eating hygienic food; in terms of psychological aspect, there should be education and training in moral education, Saggasamadhi course, chanting in the melody of Sorapanya, praying before bedtime; in the social aspect, there should be a project to visit close relatives, a singing contest, and practice of regulation line, volunteer project, pre-release project; for intellectual aspect, there should be education and training in Dharma, library service with wisdom for prisoners to study and research to increase their knowledge.