Prison Service Research Articles

Restorative Justice Programs in Czech Prisons: The Role of Perceived Usefulness and Familiarity with the Program

The main objective of this study is to examine interest in the implementation of five restorative justice programs as reported by 225 employes of the Prison Service of the Czech Republic and to identify the factors that underpin such interest. The results show that perceived usefulness and familiarity with the program are crucial factors that influence the respondent's interest in program implementation. Additionally, awareness of the concept of restorative justice and agreement with its principles are likely to have an indirect effect, mediated through perceived usefulness.

PLIGHT OF FEMALE PRISONERS IN PAKISTAN

PLIGHT OF FEMALE PRISONERS IN PAKISTAN

Professional Training of Prison Service Officers in the Republic of Poland

Professional Training of Prison Service Officers in the Republic of Poland

6.M. Workshop: Models of care in prison: addressing infectious diseases during and after the pandemic in EU/EEA

Abstract According to the latest data, in 2019 about 497,000 people were held in prison on any given day in the EU. However, the number of people who pass through European prisons each year is considerably higher. Due to infrastructural and population characteristics, individuals in contact with the criminal justice system face multiple and complex health care issues, including a higher prevalence of communicable diseases than the general population, and severe clinical outcomes when infected. The high turnover of people coming from the most disadvantaged segments of the population, together with the daily inflow/outflow of prison staff and facilities characterized by overcrowding, poor ventilation increase the risk of air-borne virus outbreaks. People living in prison are substantially more likely to experience drug-related problems than their peers in the community. Incarceration is associated with increases in blood-borne diseases-related risk behaviour among people who inject drugs. People living in prisons, because of the scarcity or lack of availability of needles, syringes and condoms, often share injecting equipment, tattooing and shaving materials, and practice unprotected sex. Individuals in contact with the criminal justice system often come from marginalized groups of society with a higher burden of poverty and discrimination, and with limited access to healthcare. Despite tailored preventive interventions should be implemented among vulnerable groups at the community level. Prisons can represent a point of access to integrated prison-community healthcare and social services. Delivering health protection and harm reduction programmes in prisons not only benefits the prison population but also has the potential to reduce the risk of transmission of some infectious diseases in the community, intervening earlier in the natural history of disease. The WHO has long supported the concept of prison health as an inseparable component of public health. However, a number of challenges hampers the successful implementation of such a concept, including the need for evidence-based decision making, inter-sectoral partnerships and adequate monitoring systems. Due to structural and operational reasons, conducting solid research and monitoring activities in prison settings is challenging and often available studies are mono-centric. This workshop will provide attendees with a comprehensive overview at European level of infectious diseases prevalence in prison populations and health services provided in detention facilities. The discussion of three European project collecting successful models of care for hepatitis elimination and implementation of vaccination services in prisons will create the context for an in-depth analysis of key challenges for prison health implementation and may help promote awareness that targeted interventions are feasible and effective in reducing infectious diseases burden among people living in prison and the community at large. Key messages • Existing European initiatives contribute to building the evidence for tailored prevention & control interventions in prison settings. • Adequate and effective prisons healthcare contribute to achieving the UN’s SDGs through improving health, reducing health inequalities and providing a fairer and safer society for all.

Viral hepatitis micro-elimination: models of care and barriers to implementation in 5 EU/EEA prisons

Abstract Introduction Coverage of essential prevention and control services and adequate monitoring schemes for viral hepatitis are often suboptimal in prison settings. Yet, evidence shows that targeted interventions are feasible and effective in reducing viral hepatitis burden and decreasing virus circulation among people living in prison and the community at large. To promote transferability and improvement of prison health quality in EU/EEA the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) will identify and disseminate models of care for viral hepatitis elimination in prisons. Methods The models of care were gathered using a data collection tool that has been designed for this purpose based on the literature review and agreed with an expert advisory group. Based on the results of the data collection, a survey for healthcare staff working in 5 selected prison institutions in the EU/EEA has been developed. Results The following models of care were collected: HCV micro-elimination in prison; transitional care for HCV treatment or HBV prevention/treatment; HCV or HBV care services tailored to women living in prison; HBV or HAV/HBV vaccination in prison settings. Harm reduction and drug treatment services in the prison are essential at all steps of the prevention and continuum of care. Among barriers identified were: engagement of people living in prison and prison governance structure, availability of infrastructural and human resources, daily prison organisation, inter-sectorial collaboration within prison and between prison and community services, training for prison staff and lack of systematic monitoring. Conclusions Evidence of effective and acceptable interventions in prison to prevent and control viral hepatitis is essential to foster inclusion of prison setting within national elimination programmes. Intra-EU benchmarking may help promote awareness, to allocate adequate resources, monitor of impact and ultimately the achievement of the elimination goal.

Burden of infectious diseases in prison settings and services offered

Abstract Introduction The WHO Prison Health Framework was developed to assess prison health system performance and support Member States (MS) in improving their prison health systems. Moreover, it shall enhance MS capacity to evaluate: the impact of changes in governance models, progress in service provision and improvements of the health status of people in prison (PiP). Methods The framework informed the 2021 data collection round of the Health In Prisons European Database Survey. Invitations were sent to all 53 MS of the WHO European Region. Those MS nominating a focal point and providing valid answers were included in the analysis. Results Answers were obtained from 36 MS, representing a total of 613,497 PiP. Access to immunization was very good across all MS, with the highest for COVID-19 (90% of MS provide it in all prisons). Vaccination against HBV was only available in all prisons of 25 MS. Access in all prisons to HIV post and PrEP were reported, respectively, by 78% and 58% of MS. Screening for diseases at entrance was common for HIV, HCV and HBV. In all prisons of 35 MS soap was provided for free, while needles & syringes and lubricants were only provided free of charge, respectively, in 3 and 4 MS. 5 MS did not have therapeutic spaces to tackle drug problems in any prison, in 73% of those having, accessibility was restricted to some prisons. HIV prevalence ranged from 0-16% and treatment was accessible to 55-100% of those diagnosed. Prevalence of HCV ranged from 0-34%, with access to treatment ranging from 0-91%. The most common format of health records in European prisons was paper based (44%). Conclusions Prison-based data collection systems resulted in limited capacity for extraction so that some countries were unable to provide any data on disease prevalence or treatments offered. Given the scarcity of data on this topic obtained from real-world and not from ad-hoc studies, this snapshot provides an important contribution to public health.

Right Behind Bars: Examining the Appropriateness of Kenya’s Prison Labour Wages and Earnings Scheme

Sentenced inmates in Kenya are obligated to provide labour while imprisoned. This is to reduce idleness, for punishment, to enhance prisons’ cost-efficiency, and for rehabilitation. Some scholars posit that prisoners should be paid, others state that they should not, and some others recognise that they should be paid but vary between a high or low rate of payment. In Kenya, prisoners are paid for their labour at rates espoused in Section 5 of the Earnings Scheme, Kenya Prisons Service Standing Orders, 1979. The rates range between 10 and 20 cents a day. From this pay, they are to spend on necessities while in prison, send some money to their families and save some for use after their release. However, the rates are very low and based on the purposes the wages are to serve, the meagre pay is grossly incommensurate. This paper uses the concept of prison industrial complex and the human rights theory to make a case for higher pay for prison labourers. Lastly, it suggests a revision of the earnings scheme after drawing lessons from India.

The risk–gang nexus in Sweden: Penal layering and the uneven topography of penal change

This article maps the emergence of a risk–gang nexus in the Swedish correctional field. Using the concept of penal layering, the article analyses the configuration of risk-based practices to manage gang affiliates in the context of Swedish prison and probation services. By introducing the notion interludes of penal layering, this article stresses the synchronic/diachronic opposition in penal change processes and furthers ongoing discussions of the variegated, braided, and uneven patterns of penal change in and beyond Nordic penal institutions. Drawing on interviews with probation officers, prison staff, and other professionals working with gangs in Sweden, the study finds that new rules, practices, decisional hierarchies, and actors have been layered on top of or alongside existing institutional arrangements to manage gang affiliates. This penal layer enforces punitive conditions for incarcerated gang affiliates and creates tensions, agonism, and contradictions between the coexisting and multiple logics of rehabilitation, punishment, and risk in the penal field.

Compassionate Recovery and Neurological Empowerment (CRANE): A trauma focused pilot intervention for women in prison with complex needs who engage in self-harm

The high prevalence of interpersonal trauma for women in custody is well known. The mental health sequelae of such experiences can include lifelong patterns of harmful behaviour directed towards both onself and others. Responding effectively to such concerns has presented a considerable challenge to prison services. Based on our clinical experience we proposed CRANE (Compassionate Recovery and Neurological Empowerment) as an integrative approach to treating ‘prolific’ and acute acts of self-harm and suicidal ideation as symptoms associated with interpersonal trauma. CRANE draws on compassion focused therapy (CFT), and other trauma focused approaches, to promote participant recovery and stability. This is reflected in CRANE’s four integrated strands, which include body centred trauma psychoeducation, trauma memory processing and a strengths-based approach to developing positive connections to self and others. This practice paper outlines these strands along with clinical illustrations from a pilot delivery and direction to theory, to help consider the benefits and challenges participants faced during the course of this intervention.

Development and evaluation of a collaborative care intervention for male prison leavers with mental health problems: the Engager research programme

Background Many male prison leavers have significant mental health problems. Prison leavers often have a history of trauma, ongoing substance misuse and housing insecurity. Only a minority of prison leavers receive mental health care on release from prison. Objectives The aim of the Engager research programme was to develop and evaluate a theory- and evidence-informed complex intervention designed to support individuals with common mental health problems (e.g. anxiety, depression) and other complex needs, including mental health comorbidity, before and after release from prison. Methods In phase 1, the intervention was developed through a set of realist-informed substudies, including a realist review of psychosocial care for individuals with complex needs, case studies within services demonstrating promising intervention features, focus groups with individuals from under-represented groups, a rapid realist review of the intervention implementation literature and a formative process evaluation of the prototype intervention. In a parallel randomised trial, methodological development included selecting outcome measures through reviewing literature, piloting measures and a consensus process, developing ways to quantify intervention receipt, piloting trial procedures and modelling economic outcomes. In phase 2, we conducted an individually randomised superiority trial of the Engager intervention, cost-effectiveness and cost–consequence analyses and an in-depth mixed-methods process evaluation. Patient and public involvement influenced the programme throughout, primarily through a Peer Researcher Group. Results In phase 1, the Engager intervention included multiple components. A practitioner offered participants practical support, emotional help (including mentalisation-based approaches) and liaison with other services in prison on the day of the participant’s release and for 3–5 months post release. An intervention delivery platform (i.e. training, manual, supervision) supported implementation. Outcome measures were selected through testing and stakeholder consensus to represent a broad range of domains, with a general mental health outcome as the primary measure for the trial. Procedures for recruitment and follow-up were tested and included flexible approaches to engagement and retention. In phase 2, the trial was conducted in three prison settings, with 280 participants randomised in a 1 : 1 ratio to receive either Engager plus usual care (n = 140) or usual care only (n = 140). We achieved a follow-up rate of 65% at 6 months post release from prison. We found no difference between the two groups for the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure at 6 months. No differences in secondary measures and sensitivity analyses were found beyond those expected by chance. The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that Engager cost significantly more at £2133 (95% of iterations between £997 and £3374) with no difference in quality-adjusted life-years (–0.017, 95% of iterations between –0.042 and 0.007). The mixed-methods process evaluation demonstrated implementation barriers. These barriers included problems with retention of the intervention team, and the adverse health and criminal justice system context. Seventy-seven per cent (108/140) of individuals had at least one community contact. Significant proportions of participants engaging received day release work and practical support. In contrast, there was evidence that the psychological components, mentalisation and developing a shared understanding were used less consistently. When engagement was positive, these components were associated with positive achievement of goals for individuals. We were also able to identify how to improve the intervention programme theory, including how to support individuals who were unrealistic in their perception of their ability to cope with challenges post release. Strengths and limitations Our development work provides a worked example of the development of a complex intervention, particularly given little prior evidence or theory specific to male offenders to build on. Our trial methodological development enabled the completion of, to the best of our knowledge, the first fully powered trial of a mental health intervention for prison leavers with common mental health problems. There were potential weaknesses in the trial methodology in terms of follow-up rates and outcome measures, with the latter potentially being insufficiently sensitive to important but highly individual changes in participants who responded to the intervention. Conclusions Delivering a randomised controlled trial for prison leavers with acceptable levels of follow-up is possible, despite adverse conditions. Full intervention implementation was challenging, but this is to be expected. Some individuals did respond well to the intervention when both practical and psychological support were flexibly deployed as intended, with evidence that most components were experienced as helpful for some individuals. It is recommended that several key components be developed further and tested, along with improved training and supervision, to support delivery of the Engager intervention within existing teams working with prison leavers. Trial registration This trial is registered as ISRCTN11707331. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Programme Grants for Applied Research programme and will be published in full in Programme Grants for Applied Research; Vol. 10, No. 8. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Child support by an imprisoned parent

This article presents the results of the study on selected aspects of child support by an imprisoned parent. The study was based on the analysis of the existing data which included reports published by the Ministry of Justice and the organizational units of the Prison Service. Using the gathered data, a socio-demographic characteristic of imprisoned persons obliged to pay child support has been prepared. Furthermore, posts on several online forums were also treated as the existing data for this study. Their analysis made it possible to, among others, determine what types of problems in connection with child support by an imprisoned parent were perceived by the other parent taking custody of the child. It has been shown that on average, every fifth imprisoned person (in a penitentiary or remand centre) is obliged to pay child support. Among those persons, a clear and growing share is that of persons convicted of not paying child support. It has been found that incarceration does not really help with executing child support payments. Over 50% of imprisoned persons obliged to pay child support has no possibility to earn money. For those who work for remuneration, on account of child support payments, the amounts are deducted several times less than the amount of the average child support in the country. It has also been recognized that some parents do not know how to sue the other incarcerated parent for child support or do not want to apply for alimony because, for example, they believe that they will thus worsen the situation of the incarcerated parent. In conclusion it was stated the child support enforcement only at the imprisonment stage is a delayed action. Furthermore, author’s doubts are also raised regarding the decision to incarcerate persons for the offense of non-alimony, among others, due to the high costs of maintaining prisoners, and because of the stigmatizing nature of imprisonment sanctions.

LEGISLATING ANTI-TORTURE REFORM AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES TO PROTECT INCARCERATED OPIOID USERS IN PAKISTAN

Pakistani anti-torture and harm reduction law is examined, particularly how these regulations, or lack thereof, influence prison safety and user rehabilitation. This study first takes a broad view of Pakistani opioid use, harm reduction, and its public health consequences, and then examines these issues within the Pakistani prison system. As anti-torture laws and inmate protections are weak within Pakistan, law enforcement, prison officers, and prison administrators often exploit these conditions to extract confessions, punish, and extort inmates. Safety and rehabilitation in prisons will likely improve with strongly enforced anti-torture and harm reduction laws. Legal control over physical and psychological torture should also be paired with normalizing harm reduction services in prisons, such as separate detoxification units for users experiencing withdrawal upon entering prison, confidential HIV testing, drug awareness messaging, evidence-based and voluntary treatment, among others. Strengthening anti-torture and harm reduction law has ramifications for the Pakistani legal system, prison system, law enforcement, and public health divisions within prisons. The Pakistani government should legislate anti-torture and harm reduction reforms to improve the safety and rehabilitation prospects of incarcerated opioid users.

Detecting terrorism risk behaviours in prisons: a thematic analysis

ABSTRACT Detecting and monitoring prisoners who present a risk of committing terrorism is an important objective of prison authorities. A key practice in many prison services is for prison staff to observe prisoner behaviours that may indicate such risk. However, there is a dearth of research that systematically examines which behaviours signify, or prison staff consider to signify, terrorism risk. This study addresses this issue by systematically examining the nature and prevalence of different behaviours indicated across a large and unique international data set of both open and closed sources, which primarily focusses on Islamist groups and ideologies. Reflexive thematic analysis identifies 29 distinct behaviours (subthemes), brigaded under 6 domains of functioning (main themes). Tentative findings suggest that many behaviours are consistently identified across open and closed data sources, indicating these are similar in different jurisdictions – although how they manifest locally may not be – and in both the fields of research and practice. Whilst some behaviours may (also) signify general non-compliance in prisons, others appear more distinct in potentially signifying terrorism risk. Finally, this practice appears over-focussed on prisoner behaviours that signify risk, rather than protection or resilience. Findings are discussed in relation to theoretical, methodological, and operational issues.

Where specialist and mainstream service systems collide: The National Disability Insurance Scheme in prisons

AbstractThe coordination of specialist with mainstream service systems is prone to role delineation and implementation difficulties worldwide. In the case of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), this specialist/mainstream interface is complicated by federalism and funding responsibilities held by different levels of government. People with disability, especially cognitive or intellectual disability, are over‐represented in Australia's prisons. Through semi‐structured interviews with professionals working at the interface of disability and criminal justice, we explore some of these interface issues with regard to NDIS services (specialist) in prisons (mainstream). We find that policy permits some NDIS‐funded services to be delivered inside prisons, such as transition services related to a person's disability, but in practice there is significant variation in how policy is understood and implemented, leading to exclusion and service gaps. This case study shines light on longstanding debates about service coordination across organisational and jurisdictional boundaries.

The Experiences of People Who Are Incarcerated in Accessing Mental Health Care: A Qualitative Meta-Ethnography.

This meta-ethnography synthesizes the findings of seven qualitative studies on the experiences of people who are incarcerated in accessing mental health care with a goal of better understanding the scope of these experiences and identifying gaps in custodial mental health care. Noblit and Hare's meta-ethnographic approach was used. Five themes were identified: stressful incarceration environments, lack of resources, care is not patient centered, lack of trust, and the value of therapeutic relationships. Findings suggest that the custodial mental healthcare system may provide care that is misaligned with the needs of people who are accessing it. Limitations of this meta-ethnography include the small number of studies identified for review, the diverse foci of the studies, the diversity of the custodial and mental health systems in the four countries from which the studies came, and the unaddressed mixing of jail and prison data in three of the studies. Future research should focus on obtaining additional perspectives from people who are accessing custodial mental healthcare services in jail and prison, exploring the differences between the experiences of people in jail versus prison, and identifying ways to develop and maintain high-quality therapeutic relationships between people who are incarcerated and custodial mental healthcare providers, including nurses who work in custodial facilities.

Knowledge, attitude, and experience of menopause of female prisoners

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: All women experience menopause in their late forties, sufficient knowledge and a positive attitude about menopause is essential for women to overcome the changes associated with menopause. Female prisoners have significant unmet needs related to transitional menopause experience because a majority of them are illiterate and from an underprivileged class and limited access to health services. Our objective is to explore the menopause experiences of women incarcerated in jail.
 METHODOLOGY: A semi-structured questionnaire was used, 48 women were interviewed using face-to-face interview technique. Participants were selected by convenience sampling. The study was conducted in Kot Lakh Pat jail Lahore among female prisoners, age ranging from 40 to 60 years.
 RESULTS: Mean age of women was 45.4 +4.6 years, about 44(91.6%) were aware of menopause, while only 4(8.3%) were aware of its health effects. 44(91.6%) of female prisoners viewed it as a natural process, and 4(8.3%) viewed it as a disease. 41(85.4%) of women are happy with the transition to menopause, while 7(14.5%) are anxious and want to menstruate again. There were statistically significant differences in the Somatic symptoms and psychological symptoms (p<0.05).
 CONCLUSION: The majority of female prisoners were concerned about symptoms even though they did not go for consultation due to a lack of information and health services in prison. To increase public health awareness and reduce the magnitude of menopause-related symptoms, there is a need to develop health care services in the context of treatment and prevention for women prisoners in their present locality.

James Arthur Beckford

Obituary| August 01 2022 James Arthur Beckford: 1 December 1942 – 10 May 2022 Eileen Barker Eileen Barker Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Nova Religio (2022) 26 (1): 138–140. https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2022.26.1.138 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Eileen Barker; James Arthur Beckford: 1 December 1942 – 10 May 2022. Nova Religio 1 August 2022; 26 (1): 138–140. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2022.26.1.138 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentNova Religio Search It is with great sadness that scholars of religion throughout the world learned of the death, after a short illness, of Jim Beckford, one of the foremost of contemporary sociologists of religion. His writings have been influential, not merely in academia, but also in informing international policy in a number of practical areas, particularly on issues relating to new religious movements and the prison service. Having obtained a First Class BA in French Studies at the University of Reading in 1965, Jim moved over to the sociology department where he both taught and researched for a PhD, later published as his widely acclaimed monograph, The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses (Blackwell, 1975). In 1973 he moved to Durham University, then, in 1988, took up a one-year appointment at Loyola University in Chicago, returning to England in 1989 to become Professor of Sociology at the University of... You do not currently have access to this content.

An examination of convicted fraud cases in Ghana between 1997 and 2016: Studies from a Gender Perspective.

It is often argued that men are more susceptible to fraud and corruption compare to their female counterparts. This argument is further supported by recent evidence from Anas Areme yaw investigative report on Judiciary fraud and Corruption of which a female judge refused bribe and threatened to arrest the investigator. This is further reflected in the Rwandan governance model which remains female dominant with its correspondence clean record of fraud in the Africa continent comparatively. There is also argument among politicians regarding perception of fraud within a particular regime. The paper examines data from the Ghana Prisons Service to determine who is the most fraudulent or corrupt is it the male or the female. Hence, the objective sought to examine data on the convicted cases of fraud to ascertain whether males or females are more convicted for committing fraud. Again, the paper assessed from the provided data to determine whether or not a particular government regime was fraud-free. Data was collected using the quantitative method. Questionnaires were specifically distributed to the officials of the Ghana Prison at the Prisons Headquarters Accra. The result showed females were less convicted of fraud as compared to their male counterpart. Furthermore, no political era with the selected time frame was found to have recorded fraud free convicts or significantly low fraud convicts in Ghana. It is therefore recommended that value based education and ethical training should continue to be strengthened in school especially at the formative ages. Female should be encouraged to apply for top positions in leading anti-corruptions institutions and delicate positions that requires a lot of transparency and self-disciplined in accountability and honesty. It is further recommended that political parties should avoid propaganda in the fight against fraud and take genuine steps to make fraud and corruption very costly by disciplining offenders to serve as deterrent to others. Keywords: Fraud, Gender Historical, Perspective, Prisons . DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/13-14-10 Publication date: August 31 st 2022

A Study of Internal Control Systems at the Ghana Prisons Service

The study examined internal control systems and practices at the Ghana Prisons Service. The Headquarters of the Service was used as a case study. Questionnaires and in-depth interview guide were used as research instruments. Simple random and purposive sampling techniques were adopted by the study for data collection. The study found out that personnel of the Ghana Prisons Service had adequate knowledge of internal control systems and practices. It was further revealed that internal control systems were fully operationalized and effective at the Ghana Prisons Service with the view to assuring the attainment of set organizational objectives and also enhancing optimal performance. More so, respondents indicated that there were few challenges associated with internal control systems, including noncompliance to rules and procedures of the service, ignorance of most officers on the existence of the policies, poorly designed guidelines, financial and logistical constraints, unavailability of skilled personnel to perform the required task, officers unwillingness to comply with control measures, and lack of understanding of control measures. The study thus recommended that Management of the Ghana Prisons Service should streamline financial and procurement policies and also strengthen internal audit and monitoring and evaluation units in enforcing internal controls. Additionally, management should endeavour to organize more capacity building workshops and seminars on internal control systems at the Ghana Prisons Service where information would be given to personnel, showing how each area of work relates to each other and to the overall success of the organization. Key words : Internal Control, Control environment, Control activities, Monitoring Activities, Organization. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/14-16-09 Publication date: August 31 st 2022

What Seems to be the Problem? Ex-Prisoners’ Reentry/Resettlement in the Czech Republic

The study is focused on the reentry/resettlement problems that are faced by ex-prisoners in the Czech Republic (CR). Findings are based on semi-structured interviews with 26 ex-prisoners and 30 social workers who provide social services in prisons and after the release. Based on the data, which were coded inductively employing qualitative content analysis, several post-prison issues emerged: (1) material deprivation and insecurity regarding housing, subsistence, and stable employment; (2) debts and enforcement proceedings; (3) prisonisation effect; (4) health issues; (5) relationships with family and significant others; (6) drug abuse; (7) meaningful leisure time. Particularly, more attention was given to housing, subsistence, stable employment, and debts and enforcement proceedings because, compared to other countries, these issues have their specifics in the CR. Findings, interpreted through the optics of intersectionality, suggest that the Czech social policies regarding ex-prisoners are focused on a one or selection of factors, instead on the complex interplay of them, as well as not properly targeted and delivered in the right time. To improve the situation, the better system of social services financing that would address the ex-prisoners’ complex needs must be implemented along with the housing first policy and more accessible personal bankruptcy.