‘Exceptional’ Open Prisons Under Pressure: Austerity, Instability and Distrust

This article examines the impact of various challenges on two Norwegian low-security prisons, Bastøy and Leira, during a particularly demanding period. Using ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews with 51 prisoners, the article applies the conceptual metaphors ‘depth’, ‘weight’, and ‘tightne...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Nyvoll, Pernille Søderholm (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: The British journal of criminology
Year: 2025, Volume: 65, Issue: 6, Pages: 1280-1297
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Open prisons
Nordic exceptionalism
staff-prisoner relationship
austerity
Covid-19
Description
Summary:This article examines the impact of various challenges on two Norwegian low-security prisons, Bastøy and Leira, during a particularly demanding period. Using ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews with 51 prisoners, the article applies the conceptual metaphors ‘depth’, ‘weight’, and ‘tightness’ to explore the severity of control, restriction and psychological burden. Findings reveal a reduction in activities and an increase in restrictiveness in both prisons. Additionally, prisoners at Bastøy noticed reduced staff presence and deteriorated trust, possibly due to the prison’s larger size, workplace conflicts and complex restructuring process, exacerbated by COVID-19 restrictions and austerity measures. The results point to a diminishing ‘exceptionality’ in Norwegian prisons, highlighting the importance of stability, institutional autonomy, and smaller prison size in fostering trust and close relationships.
ISSN:1464-3529
DOI:10.1093/bjc/azaf018