Prisoners’ experiences of prison drug treatment – what matters?

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to analyze prisoners’ experiences of prison drug-treatment programs in Sweden. How do they describe their personal relationships with the prison staff and with other prisoners in the wings? How do they describe the social climate and the control in drug-treatment wings? How could differences between these wings be understood?

Design/methodology/approach

The data consist of observations and face-to-face interviews with male and female prisoners in three Swedish prison drug-treatment wings. Analytical concepts used are roles, relationships and rituals.

Findings

The prisoners’ relationships with prison officers seemed connected to what kinds of rituals the prisoners and staff engaged in. In all three treatment wings, the staff and prisoners were involved in natural rituals. This was most frequent in the women’s prison with a 12-step program. The prisoners were frustrated with control measures but were mainly positive to the measures as preventing drugs from coming into the wing.

Research limitations/implications

Only three prison wings, however in varying prisons, have been studied.

Originality/value

These results gives a useful prisoners’ perspective on the development of drug-prevention and treatment in different kinds of prisons.

Citation

Nylander, P.-Å., Holm, C. and Lindberg, O. (2021), "Prisoners’ experiences of prison drug treatment – what matters?", International Journal of Prisoner Health, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 6-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-08-2019-0039