Abstract
The main driver for this special issue was a profound concern about prison research and its future. The development of penal policy these days seems to be driven by levers such as increasing ‘law and order’ discourse which claims that the use of imprisonment is legitimate and that ‘prison works’; neo-liberal punitiveness in the implementation of imprisonment; and a managerial focus on ‘what works’ in prisons. This situation carries the risks that statutory agencies and academic researchers are drifting apart, which might jeopardise both the future of prison research and the evidence base of penal policy.The focus of this special issue is not on the ‘findings’ of prison research but, more importantly, on ‘how’ we do it and ‘why’ we do it certain ways, including the many legitimate concerns around access, choice of method, managing field work and communicating results, as well as ethical dilemmas that arise in all of these situations. We provide space for this very important discussion, reflecting not only the practical challenges of researching a total institution but also the politics which permeates every stage of such research. We invite you, the reader, to join us in this conversation.Download the PDF file from this page to find out more about this special edition.
Highlights
Why, the need for a special issue on the challenges of contemporary prison research? The main driver for putting this special issue together was a profound concern about approaches to prison research and its future
The introductory chapter written by Hilde Tubex, reflecting on her experiences as an academic prison researcher, as a policy advisor, and as a public servant in both Europe and Australia, describes ways in which the concept of how prisons should be run, what they are supposed to achieve, and the evidence and expertise they rely on to reach that goal, have changed in the current penal climate of increasing prison populations
Regardless of the growing body of prison research described above, the development of penal policy these days seems to be driven by other levers, such as increasing ‘law and order’ discourse which claims that the use of imprisonment is legitimate and that ‘prison works’; neo-liberal punitiveness in the implementation of imprisonment; and a managerial focus on ‘what works’ in prisons
Summary
The main driver for putting this special issue together was a profound concern about approaches to prison research and its future. The introductory chapter written by Hilde Tubex, reflecting on her experiences as an academic prison researcher, as a policy advisor, and as a public servant in both Europe and Australia, describes ways in which the concept of how prisons should be run, what they are supposed to achieve, and the evidence and expertise they rely on to reach that goal, have changed in the current penal climate of increasing prison populations.
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