Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #14 - What Else Works ... Volume 2 (ACJ14-A010)

Interpersonal violence occurring in an institutional setting represents a serious problem in both prisons and forensic units. An increased understanding of the situational mechanisms involved is needed. This study reports findings from a pilot study across a sample of forensic and prison institutions in Norway, testing the perceived relevance and usefulness of a situational perspective, the Promoting Risk Intervention by Situational Management (PRISM) framework. Eight units, five forensic and three prison units in two prisons, were included as research sites in this study. The study is informed by a multiple case study approach, combining different sources of information and different methods of data collection. Multi-disciplinary teams were established at each research site and constituted the center of the current feasibility study. The results indicated that despite a general acknowledgement of the importance of attention to situational violence risk factors, both prisons and forensic units lacked systems for structured monitoring of institutional violence. The ability of the PRISM framework to provide a common language to communicate about violence and its precursors was appreciated, while the results also indicated that it was considered to be a time-consuming process.

 

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