Abstract:

This article investigates how the Norwegian correctional service can handle the increasing trend of violence and threats against its employees. Our main research question was: How can the increasing trend of undesirable incidents in prison be addressed? An undesirable incident in prison is something that threatens security. This could be violence and threats, fire, hostage situation, escape, or advanced technical failure of important systems. Based upon this we chose the following five sub research questions: What measures has the Norwegian Correctional Service implemented to reduce violence and threats in prison? How does the increasing trend of violence and threats affect employees in the correctional services? How can drills and training affect the working day of employees? How can employees be motivated and reassured before and during exercises, in preparation for real situations? How does the number of employees/staffing affect how the institution handles demands and challenges? In this study, we interviewed eight employees who have experience from high security prisons. Our informants have completed the prison officer training at the Norwegian Correctional Service's Education Centre, and had 8-21 years of experience in the agency, including training. The positions held by our informants are prison officers, as the lowest job grade, and senior prison officers, also known as operational senior officers/guard leaders. The interviewees mainly describe an everyday life where there is not enough time to carry out exercises. There is a set of exercises/training programs that are required by law, but none of these relate directly to daily routines that can reduce conflicts. Most of the informants were satisfied with the statutory training in restraint and they are satisfied with the level of the instructors who carry out the training. Several informants asked for exercises that focus on simple things such as inmates refusing to be locked up, conflict-reducing communication and other conflicts that are more commonplace for staff. They can then be better equipped and experience professional confidence in escalating and challenging situations, which can help to reduce stress. Certain findings from our informants that are worth mentioning are that all informants have experienced reporting in the deviation system that they have been exposed to violence and threats. All informants have noticed that staffing has been reduced and most mention that they do not experience the degree of control they should have, or that they reach out and get their job done in a satisfactory way, because there are too few people at work. All informants have also experienced a marked increase in violence and threats in the workplace. At the same time all informants inform that they have failed to report deviations due to conditions at the workplace or time pressure. Regardless of whether the events the informants refer to have happened recently or several years ago, it is obvious that the informants bear the stamp of what they have experienced and what follow-up they have received afterwards. The outcomes of the after-effects are variable, but should have been followed up better by the employer.

Keywords:

Correctional service, unwanted events, drill, training, motivation.