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Complaints: Mechanisms for prisoner participation?
Rebecca Banwell-Moore1, Philippa Tomczak1
1University of Nottingham, UK.
European Journal of Criminology
|October 16, 2023
Summary
Prisoner complaints mechanisms offer potential for fairness and safety, but barriers like fear and bureaucracy limit participation. Further research is needed to understand and address these challenges for improved prisoner agency and wellbeing.
Area of Science:
- Criminology
- Sociology
- Public Administration
Background:
- Participatory mechanisms in prisons, such as complaints, can enhance fairness, legitimacy, and dignity.
- Ombudsman institutions provide external accountability for prison oversight and handling prisoner complaints.
- Despite their importance, prison complaints mechanisms are understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the role of prisoner actions in shaping current complaints mechanisms.
- To describe prison complaints systems in England and Wales.
- To critically review literature on the participatory, inclusive, and fair nature of prison complaints systems.
Main Methods:
- Historical contextualization of prisoner complaints mechanisms.
- Case study of prison complaints in England and Wales.
- Systematic literature review of participatory, inclusive, and fair complaints processes.
Main Results:
- Prisoner complaints mechanisms have the potential to improve prison legitimacy, prisoner agency, wellbeing, and safety.
- Significant barriers hinder prisoner participation, including cultural issues, fear, accessibility, and bureaucratic processes.
- Experiences of these barriers vary across different prisoner demographics.
Conclusions:
- Complaints mechanisms are crucial for prisoner engagement and rights protection.
- Addressing systemic barriers is essential to realize the full potential of prison complaints systems.
- Further empirical research is recommended to explore these issues in depth.
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