Internationally, there has been extensive quantitative research on victimisation in carceral settings, primarily conducted in the US. Attention to this issue is also notable in the UK and select European countries. Researchers have predominantly examined victimisation among incarcerated individuals perpetrated by their fellow incarcerated individuals, delving into the underlying risk factors and consequences. However, it's essential to recognise the significant variations in prison cultures and contexts across regions and detained populations. Consequently, in 2019, a Belgian study on victimisation among incarcerated individuals was initiated. This initiative involved a systematic literature review exploring the consequences and risk factors of victimisation. Drawing from methodological insights gained from this review, a comprehensive self-report questionnaire, named "The Detention Monitor", was developed. This instrument allows to evaluate physical incidents and includes measures on emotional, material and sexual victimisation. Additionally, it includes assessments of vicarious victimisation and fear, measured as concern for victimisation. This presentation unveils the findings of the extensive research project utilising "The Detention Monitor" across 13 Flemish prisons in Belgium. It will feature an analysis of various prevalence rates for different forms of victimisation, with particular emphasis on the prevalence of emotional victimisation among incarcerated individuals in Flanders. Risk factors were examined using multivariate regression models, structured to align with known concepts of routine activities theories commonly referenced in prison literature. While confirming the utility of this theoretical framework, the research underscores the necessity of reflecting on deprivation theory and the influence of prison climate as well.

Simultaneous Familial Imprisonment (SFI), first coined by Deacon (2021, 2022), is an umbrella term that covers diverse circumstances and familial relationships within the prison estate. The National Prison Survey in England and Wales reported that 43% of prisoners knew of a family member that had been convicted of a criminal offence out of which 35% had been imprisoned at some point (Dodd and Hunter, 1992). While these findings hint at the fact that some families (co) exist within and across prison walls, this phenomenon remains underexplored.

This study begins to fill this gap in two ways. First it provides an estimate of lifetime and point prevalence of SFI through survey data collected in a men’s Category C prison in England. Second, drawing on interview data with incarcerated men and women, it explores how SFI can impact familial relationships, people’s personal experience of imprisonment, as well as their trajectories within the prison estate. This paper will present key findings from 200+ survey responses and animate them through accounts of incarcerated men and women affected by this phenomenon. In doing so, it seeks to develop the concept of SFI and prompt conversations about how families fare within the prison estate.

British Society of Criminology Conference
University of Strathclyde, 9-11 July 2024

Title:
“Isolation is a daily feature in my life” –
The pervasive nature of isolation in Scottish prisons

Author:
Deborah Russo
PhD Researcher
University of Edinburgh

Key words: Covid-19, isolation, letter-writing, prisons, time

Abstract

This paper considers the forms that isolation take in prison and is based on PhD research focusing on experiences of isolation in Scottish prisons. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the research was carried out between 2021-2023 via a letter-writing project with 26 participants lasting over a year. The phenomenon of isolation was explored through different angles, and was found to manifest itself in multifaceted forms, pointing to its pervasive nature in the carceral realm. Initially, the questions of when and where isolation takes place were explored. What emerged is that isolation in prison does not represent an isolated experience. The assumption would normally be that isolation in the carceral context would involve some form of physical separation. However, a different picture emerged from the data, denoting physical as well as mental elements to the experience of isolation. This paper considers the specific circumstances in which isolation emerged in the experience of participants. These included: during the outbreak of Covid-19, on prison transport, in suicide prevention cells, on first nights in custody, on police/court/bail, while located in the colloquially termed “dog boxes” at HMP Barlinnie, or whilst awaiting medical procedures, in the presence of others / cell-sharing, when self-imposed, as well as in the context of the experience of time in isolation more broadly. The findings demonstrate that isolation is experienced throughout custody in different settings and to varying degrees of intensity, illustrating how it permeates and underlies the very essence of prison life.

In an era where external media shifts redefine social interactions, the prison environment persists as a unique space, deliberately confining inmates to controlled social spheres. Despite limitations on external communication, electronic and print media usage within prisons, particularly in Germany, has seen a substantial surge. This expansion challenges the traditional notion of prisons as isolated "total institutions." Drawing on research within a German women's prison, this project delves into prisoners' perceptions and interactions with media, exploring how diverse forms of media contribute to shaping, limiting, and supporting inmate identities and relationships. Through interviews and participant observation, the study investigates the nuanced ways prisoners engage with media, such as television, radio, telephones, and video chat, revealing varying interpretations and connections to the outside world. While some integrate deeply into the internal "society of captives," others prioritize their limited ties to the external world. Both extremes of "mediatized life" in prison pose challenges to rehabilitation goals, raising questions about the efficacy of preparing individuals for a reformed existence without addressing the communication and media patterns inherent in modern life.