How alternative(s) to prison could work?

• In Event: PWG - Rethinking punishment: Alternatives to traditional incarceration models

Abstract

This paper gives an overview how alternative to prison could solve several thorny issues of prison system.
Historical and comparative evidence shows that social policy, welfare, and crime policy are closely interconnected.
The increase of incarceration rates in the United Kingdom and the United States from mid 1970s onwards was strongly linked with a decrease of welfare in these countries. During the same time, when the welfare system was flourishing in the Nordic countries, and in particular, Finland, started the prison reduction period. The punitive period throughout the Nordic countries was a result of severe cuts in the welfare provision (Lappi,2022).
This is one of many examples how strongly interconnected are decisions on criminal justice system with economic, political and social welfare of a country (Aebi et al 2010).
The main threads of European criminal policies illustrate how the use of indeterminate sanctions, relaxing prison regimes, expanding the use of alternatives varies enormously between countries. Socio-economic and political structures, cultural traditions, high social and institutional trust, strong welfare states with smaller welfare differences, and consensual and corporatist political culture are explanations of alternatives imprisonment. Despite the paramount role of alternative(s) to prison, it took more than several decades to introduce them in legislation. As alternative (s) to prison is a complex and lengthy process, this paper illustrates how it/they could solve some of thorny issues like prison overcrowding, recidivism, ‘humane’ and integrative criminal justice system in Europe.

Author

• Merlinda A Bajo, Welfare Organisation Loerrach Germany