How should we understand “humane” corrections? What does it mean to do “more”? And who are “we”?

I contend that aiming for “humane” corrections entails more than avoiding or combatting human rights violations and needs to focus on the experiences of personal dignity and identity of those subjected to penal power. I concentrate on prisons and on reintegration practices, but several aspects of the discussion also apply to community sanctions.

“Dignity” is at the centre of (European) human rights protection and of prisoners’ assessments of the moral performance of prisons. Tensions arise though between the personal dignity of individual prisoners and their social dignity as recognized by society, prison systems, and courts.

Empirical research illustrates broader dehumanising mechanisms in total institutions. A comparison of a prison and a rehabilitation hospital shows similarities in the loss of social roles; the (extreme) dependency on frontline staff; and institutional interests superseding individual needs and interests; all resulting in attacks on personal dignity and identity.

The main difference relates to the level of professional support felt by the inhabitants to reintegrate into society. European human rights standards recognise reintegration as an essential aim of corrections and an important element of human dignity. They also heavily rely on professional expertise to strike a balance between the individual right to be considered for reintegration and the protection of societal interests. Research illustrates however how the penal power exercised by forensic psychologists and psychiatrists, through its focus on risk assessments diminishes their professional legitimacy, creates tensions between personal dignity and identity and forensic identity, and may hamper rather than foster successful reintegration practices.

Reflecting on what “we” could do more hence relates to all professionals involved in corrections: frontline prison staff (justice and care); forensic experts (formal, subjective and professional legitimacy; procedural and social justice); prison management (dignity through agency); and prison scholars (moral performance; successful reintegration; translation to policy and practice).

IACFP Distinguished Scholar Lecture - "Dignity and Identity Between Individual, Institutional and Societal Interests" (PID220)

Speakers

Dr. Sonja Snacken