Seventh CRIMVOL virtual working paper session

Beskrivelse

Compared to many Western countries, Denmark (as some of the other Nordic countries) is rather reluctant when it comes to policy developments aiming to increase the role of VSOs in the criminal justice system through service delivery contracts. This, however, does not mean that VSOs are absent in prison and probation facilities but their collaboration with the Danish Prison and Probation Service (DPPS) is not formalised or included in any strategic documents. Knowledge about these organisations and their contribution to rehabilitation programmes for offenders and ex-offenders is thus scarce. This presentation is based on a survey mapping out the extent and content of VSOs’ rehabilitative work in/post-prison in Denmark and interviews with DPPS staff and VSO staff regarding cultural differences, collaboration demands, funding sources, among others. This presentation has two main focuses. First, it examines the informal collaboration between the DPPS as ‘host’ and ‘gatekeeper’ and the VSOs as co-called ‘add-ons’ or service-delivers of ‘something extra’. In this part, it is discussed how VSOs - though formed by voluntary contributions and grant funding - are facing the DPPS’ demands of professionalism, standardisation and impact measurement. It is also discussed how the infrastructure of government grants leave the VSOs balancing on a knife’s edge between critical voicing and lobbyism. Second, the presentation outlines a change in the current situation of VSOs targeting offenders and ex-offenders in Denmark - from working in the shadow to potentially be on the political agenda, more specifically the DPPS’ coming four-year agreement that describe the financial framework and the operational and development targets to be realised during the contractual period.

Periode	9 sep. 2021
Begivenhedstitel	Seventh CRIMVOL virtual working paper session: Informal collaboration between the voluntary sector and the Danish Prison and Probation Service.
Begivenhedstype	Seminar
Grad af anerkendelse	International