The Phenomenology of Inmates' Experiences In Managing Emotions While Serving Sentences at The Class IIa Narcotics Correctional Facility In Bandar Lampung

Abstract

This study aims to understand the meaning of emotional exhaustion experienced by prisoners, analyze their strategies for managing it, and identify factors influencing their ability to manage emotions (emotional intelligence) while serving their sentences at the Class IIA Narcotics Correctional Institution of Bandar Lampung. The study used a qualitative phenomenological approach. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with twelve informants: five prisoners, five cellmates, the Head of the Community Guidance and Care Subsection, and a correctional guardian. The data were analyzed using the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña interactive model assisted by NVivo and verified through source triangulation. The findings show that prisoners interpret emotional exhaustion as inner fatigue arising from separation from their families and helplessness over problems at home. It peaks early in the sentence, is aggravated by overcrowding, may be hidden behind apparent calm, and is reflected in declining participation in rehabilitation programs. Prisoners manage it through worship, sharing stories, physical and productive activities, delaying responses, and reappraising situations, while some suppress their emotions, risking emotional outbursts. Their ability to manage emotions is supported by family, cellmates, upbringing, life experience, rehabilitation programs, and parole considerations, and hindered by prison culture, overcrowding, limited psychological services, and uncertainty after release.