Prisoners' experiences and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic response - an ethnographic study conducted mid-pandemic.
Int J Prison Health
; 2022 Dec 15.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2161321
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
This paper aims to report findings about how prisoners experience and cope with COVID-19 restrictions, which can contribute to an understanding of how pandemic responses, and specifically the COVID-19 response, affect prisoners. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH:
Data was collected through ethnographic fieldwork involving days of observations (N = 24) and the conduction of semi-structured interviews with prisoners (N = 30) in closed prisons and detentions in Denmark between May and December 2021. The transcribed interviews and field notes were processed and coded by using the software programme NVivo.FINDINGS:
The data analysis reveals that the pains of imprisonment have been exacerbated to people incarcerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. To relieve pains of imprisonment, prisoners turn to censoriousness as an informal coping strategy, where they complain about inconsistency and injustice in the prison's COVID-19 prevention strategy to reveal the prison system itself as a rule-breaking institution. The prisoners criticise the prison management for using COVID-19 as an excuse, treating prisoners unjustly or not upholding the COVID-19 rules and human rights. Furthermore, principles of justice and equality are also alleged by some prisoners who contemplate the difficulty in treating all prisoners the same. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS More research will be needed to create a full picture of how prisoners cope with pandemic responses. Further research could include interviews with people working inside prisons. ORIGINALITY/VALUE In a Scandinavian context, to the best of the author's knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to apply an ethnographic approach in exploring prison life during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
Language:
English
Journal subject:
Public Health
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
IJPH-03-2022-0018
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