A study of anxiety and depression among undertrial prisoners in central jails in Karnataka

The present study has been done to examine the anxiety and depression experienced by undertrial prisoners in central jails of Karnataka. A total of 347 undertrials were selected for the study. After obtaining informed consent they were administered Taylor's Manifest anxiety scale (1956) and Becks depression inventory to measure levels of anxiety and depression respectively. Main findings of the present study are as follows. Undertrial prisoners experience high levels of anxiety. Undertrial prisoners suffer from severe depression. Undertrials from north karntaka central jails suffer from severe depression than undertrials from other parts of Karnataka. In anxiety scores undertrials from different central jails had similar scores.