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P111 - Unlocking Realities: A Narrative Inquiry of Prisoners’ Lived Experience of Navigating the Romanian Prison System during and beyond COVID-19
Thu, September 12, 6:45 to 8:00pm, Faculty of Law, University of Bucharest, Front CourtyardAbstract
Background: The global prison population has reached its highest level to date, with over 11.5 million people deprived of their liberty on any given day, primarily men. However, the number of women in prison has risen by 60% since 2000, compared to a 22% increase in the number of men across all regions. Systemic prison crises such as chronic overcrowding, inhumane living conditions, lack of resources, and mismanagement have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which placed a heavy toll on custodial environments, transforming them into hotspots for disease. International guidelines acknowledge the unique health vulnerabilities of people living in prisons and emphasize that prison responses to COVID-19 should not subject people in prisons to inhumane treatment.
Romanian prisons face difficulties in maintaining international detention standards. In 2023, the European Court of Human Rights issued 81 judgments related to Romanian prisons, with 72 identifying various human rights violations. The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (2023) highlighted a significant absence of data concerning the Romanian prison population demographics, pre-trial and life-sentenced individuals, and bio-behavioral data.
This study aims to address the existing gap in the literature by exploring the perspectives of individuals with lived experience in a Romanian prison during the COVID-19 pandemic, with regard to:
• the COVID-19 impact on mental health and wellbeing in a closed space.
• access to prison healthcare and support services during COVID-19 system restrictions.
• the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on inter-personal and familial relationships.
• experiences of release from prison and re-entry into the community.
Methods: In-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with people who have lived experience of incarceration during the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania. Data will be analysed using Dialogical Narrative Analysis.