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Trial lecture - time and place
Adjudication committee
- Professor Johan Fredrik Rye, University of Oslo (head of Committee)
- Professor Francis Pakes, University of Portsmouth (1. opponent)
- Dr. Anna Schliehe, University of Trier (2. opponent)
Chair of defence
- Vice dean Ivar Alvik
Supervisors
- Professor Thomas Ugelvik
- Professor Yvonne Jewkes
Summary
Prisons can be characterized by very painful, destructive and unhealthy environments, with prisoners representing a particularly vulnerable population that often experiences poorer health outcomes than the general public. Many have pre-existing health problems before entering prison, and the health situation often deteriorates further during imprisonment. These realities have been underscored by decades of research. In contrast, this thesis builds upon the concept of ‘healthy prisons’, a framework that emphasises the potential for prisons to promote the physical, mental and social well-being of people in prison.
This thesis integrates the perspectives of the pains of imprisonment with experiences of health, well-being, and inherent possibilities within certain prison contexts. It seeks to illuminate the complex intersection between these perspectives: arguing that prisons can, under certain circumstances and for some individuals, be simultaneously painful and constructive places. This duality of pain and possibility is explored through extensive ethnographic fieldwork conducted over seven months in two Norwegian low-security prisons, complemented by additional fieldwork at two high-security prisons. The two low-security prisons – Bastøy and Leira – have both been depicted as ‘exceptional’ due to their minimal security measures, relatively positive staff-prisoner relationships, and abundant access to natural elements. The data set includes 102 interviews with prisoners and staff, including prison officers and healthcare professionals.
The thesis highlights the importance of differentiating between harmful and potentially constructive pains. While harmful pain should be mitigated as much as possible, constructive pain can contribute to personal growth, especially when the prison environment succeeds in being supportive. Key themes such as autonomy, identity, social relationships and stability emerge as important in order to minimise pain and maximise possibilities for personal growth within prisons. These aspects are more easily nurtured in smaller, open prison environments with fewer elements of security, risk and control. Overall, this thesis provides unique ethnographic insights into low-security prisons and identifies potential health-promoting aspects that can contribute to positive health, personal growth, and hope within the prison context.