Des jeux de hasard et d'argent en détention? L'état de la situation dans les pénitenciers fédéraux du Québec

Basically, gambling is a pleasant pastime for the vast majority of people. It is indeed associated with leisure, since it fills almost the same needs, including curiosity, entertainment, relaxation, socialization and recognition (Chevalier, 2003; Chevalier & Papineau, 2007; Paradis & Courteau, 2003). However, it still involves a risk of excess. Although no one is truly immune to addiction, scientific papers show that certain groups have been found to be particularly at risk. In addition to people with mental disorders and addictions (Walters, 1997), members of the correctional population are among those most likely to present pathological gambling problems (Abbott, McKenna, & Giles, 2005; Ashcroft, Daniels, & Hart, 2004; Lahn, 2005). And yet, while several studies examine pre-incarceration gambling habits of men sentenced to prison, few report on what happens to this practice in detention facilities.   Although gambling is formally prohibited by correctional services, its presence in prison is nevertheless acknowledged (Abbott et al., 2005; Lahn & Grabosky, 2003; Nixon, Leigh, & Grabosky, 2006; Williams, Royston, & Hagen, 2005; Lahn, 2005). However, studies too often content themselves with drawing a purely descriptive portrait of the types of games and bets. A better understanding of gambling in prison is essential, if we consider the non negligible proportion of inmates struggling with such an addiction.   The objective of this thesis is therefore to improve our understanding of gambling in Quebec’s federal detention facilities, based on the opinions and experience of 51 male inmates. Qualitative interviews were conducted in French with male inmates over 18 years of age from Quebec, serving a minimum prison sentence of 24 months. The thematic analysis results were divided into three scientific articles.    The first article describes the conduct of gambling within the walls and analyzes the influence of prison settings on access to these activities and their significance. Contrary to our expectations, the regulation prohibiting betting is not a central obstacle to this practice. Participation is restricted more by factors related to the correctional context and the sentence. The availability of gambling and the usual benefits derived, such as pleasure and excitement, are far more limited than those generally provided by this activity in free society.  The second article examines the potential consequences of gambling, as well as the inmates’ reactions to them. Basically, the fact alone that this activity necessarily involves an exchange of money, valuable items or services rendered puts all players at risk of incurring debts. However, a dynamic analysis shows that some frictions related to gambling are better explained by characteristics of the prison environment.   The last article addresses the reasons why members of the correctional population do or do not gamble during their incarceration. It takes into account the gambling habits of non-gamblers, recreational gamblers and problem gamblers over the 12 months prior to detention. For most inmates, gambling serves as a recreational alternative to boredom, but some use it also for the purpose of integrating, or even protecting themselves indirectly. Even more interesting is the fact that, despite the presence of gambling addicts among the men interviewed, none of the motivations generally associated with pathological gambling was given as a reason for gambling in prison.  In summary, gambling generally remains without consequence in Quebec’s detention facilities, since very few inmates appear to exceed their limits and incur debts. Conflicts related to this activity consist mostly in arguments stemming from doubts concerning a player’s integrity or an unaccepted defeat. Violent events, such as settlings of accounts due to unpaid debts, were found to be the exception. The results of this thesis show also that, despite having the opportunity to gamble, some pathological gamblers quit or abstain from betting during their incarceration. This new information enables us to reflect on the concept of addiction and on promising avenues for treating incarcerated problem gamblers.

Keyphrases: Violence, Gambling, Prison, Male prisoners, Violence