Living Behind Bars: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Lived Experiences and Adaptation of Persons Deprived of Liberty
Author : Joy E. Presado
Abstract :
This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs), focusing on their sense of autonomy, adaptation, and coping within the prison environment. Specifically, it examined how PDLs perceived personal autonomy and control and how they adapted to institutional conditions, daily routines, and challenges during incarceration. The study was conducted at the Northern Samar Provincial Jail, Allen Sub-Provincial Jail, and Laoang Sub-Provincial Jail using a qualitative descriptive phenomenological design. Purposively selected PDLs participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews, and the data were analyzed through descriptive phenomenological analysis. Findings revealed that despite significant institutional restrictions, PDLs maintained a meaningful sense of autonomy by exercising choice in self-care, religious practices, livelihood participation, and daily routines, enabling them to preserve dignity, identity, and hope. However, autonomy remained constrained by institutional regulations, with compliance often motivated by the desire to obtain Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA), facilitate early release, and avoid disciplinary sanctions. While disciplinary measures promoted institutional order, they appeared to encourage fear-based compliance rather than genuine behavioral transformation. Participants gradually adapted to prison life through acceptance of incarceration, adherence to structured routines, support from fellow inmates and correctional personnel, and hope for eventual reintegration into society. Nevertheless, adaptation was challenged by prolonged judicial proceedings, financial hardship, inadequate family support, and perceived inequities in healthcare access, which negatively affected their well-being. The findings indicate that meaningful rehabilitation requires balancing institutional discipline with opportunities for personal agency, equitable access to essential services, and supportive interventions that strengthen resilience and uphold human dignity. The study concludes that correctional institutions should adopt rehabilitative approaches that foster personal growth alongside institutional security to better prepare PDLs for successful reintegration into society. These findings served as the basis for the development of a proposed intervention program to enhance rehabilitation outcomes
Keywords :
Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs), autonomy, prison adaptation, rehabilitation, phenomenology, correctional institutions.
