If the aim of prisons is to protect
those on the outside, prisons must
ensure that when an inmate has done
their time, they have no incentive to
commit any further ‘societal wrongdoing’ to be incarcerated again. The
question that society should then
consider: are these inmates just there
to serve their time, or should they receive some form of rehabilitation that
will enable them to become a functioning member of society? According
to a study by Humeau et al, “brain activity in the amygdala underlies both
our ability to empathize and our ability to experience fearful emotions”
(Reisel 26, 2013). Furthermore, the
age-olbelief that brain development
halts when adulthood is reached is
no longer the case. The growth in the
brain and increase in neurons, also
known as neurogenesis, is thought to
improve the ability of the amygdala to
respond to stressful situations. The
crucial role of the amygdala lies in the
processing of emotions. However, as
stress inhibits neurogenesis, a setting
such as a prison where one can barely
lie on his back to sleep let alone must
fight for food, the likelihood of any
brain development is scarce. Interestingly, compassion training has shown
signs of increasing the ac¬tivity in
the amygdala for those who are able
to bypass a certain threshold. In animal studies, evidence provides that
neurogenesis is enabled by living in
“an enriched environment, and also
by exercise” (Reisel). How is this relevant to humans? As it is likely that
the human brain would work the
same way, it is promising that the
“mammalian brain is capable of profound change throughout life” (Reisel), and therefore significant to the
argument of weather or not people
can change.
Is there is a path back from crime? With further research on
adult brains, if neurogenesis occurs, inmates can learn to empathize. With the correct form of rehabilitation, which includes
counselling of the psyche and physical body, one may be able to
leave the prison walls behind.Muay Thai is a step in the right
direction. However, one may ask, who are the teachers to these
inmates and do they themselves possess the right qualities of
being a ‘principled teacher’? Nevertheless, the Muay Thai program presents the chance for inmates to live a different life in
Thailand’s prisons, with the hopes of improving physically and
mentally. Muay Thai supports the research into growing the
capacity of the brain to potentially expand its sense of empathy.
However its reach is only to the physically capable and therefore
limits those who cannot fight. If we hope to achieve significant
change in the behaviour of prisoners, similar programs that are
inclusive of all prisoners are needed.
Muay Thai is a combat sport from the muay martial arts of Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching
techniques.This physical and mental discipline which includes
combat on foot is known as “the art of eight limbs” because it is
characterized by the combined use of fists, elbows, knees, shins
and feet, being associated with a good physical preparation that
makes a full-contact fighter very efficient.
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muay_Thai
JULY 2014 27