Procedural justice in their eyes: A qualitative interview study among detainees

• In Event: Prison Working Group: Living and working in prison - Detainees, staff and their interactions

Abstract

A large body of research identifies procedural justice as an influencing factor affecting desired outcomes such as legitimacy beliefs and compliant behavior. To date, existing studies using quantitative methods often emphasize the importance of procedural justice, but it has been rarely studied whether procedural justice is actually a relevant concern for criminal justice-involved individuals in interactions with criminal justice authorities. The aim of the present study is to address two research questions: (a) to what extent is procedural justice a relevant concern for individuals during interactions with criminal justice authorities, and (b) if so, what elements constitute procedural justice in their eyes? To answer these questions, data from 35 semi-structured interviews with detainees in a Dutch correctional facility were used. The results will provide insights into whether detainees themselves refer to issues of procedural justice, and which elements of procedural justice are frequently mentioned when detainees are asked about interactions with police officers, prison staff, judges, and probation officers. As such, this study contributes to the literature of procedural justice by using a bottom-up approach and offering insights into what procedural justice actually means to detainees.

Authors

• Matthias Hall, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement

• Anja Dirkzwager, NSCR

• Peter van der Laan, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR)

• Paul Nieuwbeerta, Leiden University