Prison Officer Training: an attempt at comparison between Austria, Belgium, Poland & Scotland

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

Prison officer training plays a crucial role in shaping the safety, professionalism, and rehabilitative orientation of correctional institutions. However, training structures, content, and legal frameworks vary significantly across jurisdictions, reflecting the many different penal philosophies, policy priorities, and institutional challenges. This roundtable brings together researchers examining the initial training of prison officers in Scotland, Belgium, Austria, and Poland.
The discussion will delve into practical aspects of the training, such as its content, duration, and teaching and assessment methods. Participants will reflect on the similarities and differences in these systems, considering how different jurisdictions prepare officers for the complexities of their roles.
This roundtable aims to provide a preliminary overview of the existing training programs in each region while addressing broader themes like the alignment of training with ever-evolving penal philosophies and the methodological challenges associated with conducting cross-national comparative research within this field.

Subtopic

• Topic 5: Social Control and Criminal Justice / Imprisonment, Prisons, Prison Life and Effects of Imprisonment (Prisons WG)

Chair

• Emilie Gossye, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Discussants

• Piotr Łapiński, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego

• Katrina Morrison, Edinburgh Napier University

• Maria Moulin-Stożek, Uniwersytet im. Jana Długosza w Częstochowie