Samarbejdet mellem den danske kriminalforsorg og den frivillige sektor: fra ikke-formaliseret samarbejde til strategiske samarbejdspartnere

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

The Danish Prison and Probation Service (DPPS) is facing prison overcrowding, staff shortage and a political focus on order and control. This situation is challenging prisons in fulfilling their rehabilitative function. Delivery of rehabilitation services in the DPPS from outside voluntary organisations is therefore of interest and a strategic, systematic collaboration between the DPPS and the voluntary sector has been included in the DPPS’ agreement that describe the financial framework and the operational and development targets to be realised during the contractual period 2022-25. Knowledge about this present collaboration and its potentials is nevertheless scarce. This study explores the present informal collaboration between voluntary organisations delivering in/post-prison rehabilitative programmes and the DPPS, with a focus on funding structures and collaboration demands. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with prison and probation staff and representatives from voluntary organisations and participant observation of training for volunteering in/post prison. The findings reveal that the rehabilitative work of volunteers in prison among others is challenged by the DPPS’ focus on professionalism, standardisation and impact measurement. Moreover, lobbying for funding is found to be time-consuming and challenging to the voluntary organisations’ autonomy. The article supports protecting the voluntary organisations’ diversity of methods and approaches to prisoner rehabilitation.
Original languageDanish
JournalNordisk Tidsskrift for Kriminalvidenskab
Volume109
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)271-290
Number of pages20
ISSN0029-1528
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 Apr 2022

Cite this