Prisoner resettlement in Spain : good practices for early-released prisoners and prisoners lost in transition that fully serve their sentence

Reducing Discretion in the Administration of Prison Leave: In Search of Legitimacy

Abstract: This paper explains the institution of prison leave in Spain. Firstly, I will briefly describe the regulations governing prison leave and provide data on its use in Spain. I will point out that although half the prison population benefits from a prison leave, a main problem is that it is granted at a very late stage of the sentence, and that immigrants have a very low probability of obtaing it. Secondly, I will explain the criteria used in order to determine if a leave is granted, the wide discretion that psychologists in particular enjoy, and why this procedure might be experienced by the prisoner as unfair. Thirdly, I will describe the mixed system that allows both Prison Boards and Judges to make decisions about leave and how this often produces confusing results for prisoners. For instance, a positive prison report being followed by a negative judicial response due to the wide discretion that judicial authorities also enjoy. Finally, I draw some tentative conclusions about how a lack of clear criteria and procedure in relation to prison leave might also affect legitimacy in prison.

Prisoners in the community: the open prison model in Catalonia

Abstract: Open prisons are low-security penitentiary institutions in which life conditions are less strict than in closed prisons, and where prisoners have more contact with the outside world Despite sharing important features, some variations can be found in the model of open prisons in different countries This article describes the Catalan open prison model, characterized by the fact that prisoners serve the sentence in full semi-liberty; that is, by day they work and spend time with their families or doing other activities, but return to prison to sleep As a contribution to the comparative study of open prisons, I describe here how Catalan open prisons are run and discuss the concept of ‘openness’ with reference, above all, to the open prisons that exist in Scandinavian countries This work shows that the degree of openness of open prisons varies considerably between different countries – therefore approaching community penalties or closed prisons in a greater or lesser extent – and suggests that the role that open prisons are granted in each penal system is part of the explanation1 1)Marta Marti holds a PhD in Law (Criminology) Currently, she is working as an external consultant for the International Committee of the Red Cross in El Salvador and she is member of the Research Group in Criminology and Criminal Justice System of Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain) This article is based on her PhD dissertation, ‘One foot in and one foot out: serving a prison sentence in an open prison’, which was accepted in November 2018 in Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain) The full version of the dissertation (in Spanish) can be found on the following link: https://repositoriupfedu/handle/10230/36320 This article is part of the project ‘Ejecucion y supervision de la pena: calidad de la intervencion, legitimidad y reincidencia’ (DER2015-64403-P), funded by the Spanish Government AbstractAbne faengsler har et lavere control-niveau end lukkede faengsler og indsatte i abne faengsler har mere kontakt til verden uden for faengslet Trods mange ligheder findes der ogsa en del forskelle imellem abne faengsler i forskellige lande I denneartikel praesenteres abne faengsler i Catalonien Disse er kendetegnet ved at de indsatte rent faktisk nyder delvis frihed Det indebaerer, at de i dagtimerne gar pa arbejde uden for faengslet eller tilbringer tid sammen med deres familie eller er beskaeftiget pa anden made i lokalomradet Om aftenen vender de tilbage til faengslet og tilbringer natten der I artiklen sammenlignes de catalanske abne faengsler med abne faengsler i Skandinavien Sammenligningen viser, at der er store forskelle i graden af abenhed i abne faengsler, nogle steder ligger de taettere pa samfunds-straffe og andre steder langt taettere pa lukkede faengsler Der argumenteres for, at en del af forklaringen her pa er, hvilken rolle i det samlede nationale straffesystem de abne faengsler har i forskellige lande

Telematic Control and Semi-Freedom as a Response to the Pandemic: The Spanish Penitentiary System Experience

Abstract: In response to the pandemic that started in early 2020, prison systems around the world have adopted various strategies to prevent the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). In Spain, the m...

Una reflexión acerca de las prisiones privadas: ¿pragmatismo o ideología?

Abstract: espanolEste texto pertenece a una mesa redonda que ofrece un debate con James B. Jacobs, autor del clasico de la sociologia de las prisiones Stateville: The penitentiary in mass society, sobre la vigencia de su obra cuarenta anos despues. Este comentario presenta una reflexion acerca de las razones que han podido llevar al surgimiento de las prisiones privadas, confrontando argumentos que defienden su surgimiento por razones pragmaticas con otros que las situan como producto de la expansion hacia el castigo de la ideologia neoliberal. Por ultimo, se realiza una breve reflexion acerca de la posibilidad de que en el futuro este tipo de instituciones lleguen al contexto espanol. EnglishThis text forms part of a round table discussion with James B. Jacobs, author of the classic study on the sociology of prisons Stateville: The Penitentiary in Mass Society, and examines the validity of his work 40 years later. The commentary presents some thoughts on the reasons that have led to the emergence of private prisons. Arguments that defend privately operated penal facilities for pragmatic reasons are contrasted against those that view them as a product of an expanding neoliberal ideology towards punishment. Finally, a brief reflection is made about the possibility of introducing this kind of institutions in Spanish in the near future. catalaAquest text pertany a una taula rodona que ofereix un debat amb James B. Jacobs, autor del classic de la sociologia de les presons Stateville: The penitentiary in mass society, sobre la vigencia de la seva obra quaranta anys despres. Aquest comentari presenta una reflexio sobre les raons que han pogut portar al sorgiment de les presons privades, confrontant arguments que en defensen el sorgiment per raons pragmatiques amb uns altres que les situen com a producte de l'expansio cap al castig de la ideologia neoliberal. Finalment, es fa una breu reflexio sobre la possibilitat que en el futur aquest tipus d'institucions arribin al context espanyol.

La experiencia del encarcelamiento en España

Abstract: espanolEuropa ha construido una politica criminal humanitaria por lo que respecta al encarcelamiento a partir de tres principios basicos: limitacion del uso de la prision, normalizacion de la vida en la carcel y reinsercion como principal objetivo de la privacion de libertad. Consecuentemente, parece relevante analizar si los diferentes sistemas penitenciarios europeos se acercan a este ideal. Partiendo de la existencia de una pluralidad de fuentes que nos acercan a la realidad del encarcelamiento, este trabajo se basa principalmente en una encuesta realizada a una muestra representativa de personas que experimentaron el encarcelamiento en Cataluna. La investigacion pone de relieve un avance positivo en los principios de normalizacion y reinsercion con respecto a anteriores estudios. Sin embargo, en ambos principios se aprecian aspectos preocupantes que requieren la implementacion de nuevas politicas. EnglishEurope has built a humanitarian criminal policy regarding imprisonment under three basic principles: limitation of the use of prison, normalization of prison life and reintegration as the main aim of the deprivation of freedom. Therefore, it seems relevant to assess whether European penitentiary systems fulfil this ideal. Moving from the repertory of sources that describe the reality of imprisonment, this paper is based mainly on a survey of a representative sample of people that have experienced imprisonment in Catalonia. The paper reveals a more positive fulfilment of the principles of normalization and reintegration in comparison with previous literature. However, concerning both principles there are some aspects of concern that require implementing new policies.

When Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry

Abstract: Preface 1. Introduction and Overview 2. Who's Coming Home? A Profile of Returning Prisoners 3. The Origins and Evolution of Modern Parole 4. The Changing Nature of Parole Supervision and Services 5. How We Help: Preparing Inmates for Release 6. How We Hinder: Legal and Practical Barriers to Reintegration 7. Revolving Door Justice: Inmate Release and Recidivism 8. The Victim's Role in Prisoner Reentry 9. What to Do? Reforming Parole and Reentry Practices 10. Conclusions: When Punitive Policies Backfire Afterword

Gender, Crime, and Desistance: Toward a Theory of Cognitive Transformation

Abstract: This article analyzes data derived from the first detailed long‐term follow‐up of a sample of serious adolescent female delinquents and similarly situated males. Neither marital attachment nor job stability, factors frequently associated with male desistance from crime, were strongly related to female or male desistance. A symbolic‐interactionist perspective on desistance is developed as a counterpoint to Sampson and Laub’s theory of informal social control, and life history narratives are used to illustrate the perspective. This cognitive theory is generally compatible with a control approach but (a) adds specificity regarding underlying change mechanisms, (b) explains some negative cases, and (c) fits well with life course challenges facing contemporary serious female (and more provisionally male) offenders.

But They All Come Back: Facing the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry

Abstract: As our justice system has embarked upon one of our time's greatest social experiments?responding to crime by expanding prisons?we have forgotten the iron law of imprisonment: they all come back. In 2002, more than 630,000 individuals left federal and state prisons. Thirty years ago, only 150,000 did. In the intense political debate over America's punishment policies, the impact of these returning prisoners on families and communities has been largely overlooked. In But They All Come Back, Jeremy Travis continues his pioneering work on the new realities of punishment in America vis-a-vis public safety, families and children, work, housing, public health, civic identity, and community capacity. Travis proposes organizing the criminal justice system around five principles of reentry to encourage change and spur innovation.