Post-release Challenges: A Survey and Interview Based Study for Finnish Prisoners About to be Released

• In Event: Poster Session 2

Abstract

According to criminologists, integration back into society should begin in prison and continue far into the time post-release. Previous research in Finland has looked on individual measures (eg. housing and employment); however, no studies have assessed the situation overall. Applying mixed methods through a survey and qualitative interviews, this study explores post-prison challenges and needs of prisoners once released from the control of the Prison and Probation Service of Finland (RISE), as well as prisoners’ views on the rehabilitative measures provided. This study seeks to find out how re-integrative measures and activities are distributed and experienced between different segments in the prison population. The study is partly financed by RISE. 500-700 Finnish prisoners will be asked to participate in the survey so that the results are geographically representative and representative of the heterogenous structure of the prison population. Prisoners will also be interviewed pre-release to deepen the questions posed in the survey. This study is part of my larger doctoral thesis "The transitional phase of the release from the penal system". In the 2024 ASC seminar, I will be able to present preliminary results of this study.

Author

• Chris Alexandra Carling, University of Helsinki