8. It is tough and you are enough: the role of emotion in prison work

Fengselsmiljøet har flere sårbare forhold. For insatt kan tiden i fengsel være den mest sårbare perioden i deres livet. Samtidig kan det være utfordrende for fagfolk som jobber i et så lukka miljø å møte egen og andres sårbarhet. 

The prison environment is an environment in which most of us may feel vulnerable.  For prisoners this may be one of the most vulnerable times of their lives, but it may be a hard place for the professionals working here also. 

In this episode of Kafè Sosial we hear from Marita Wassbakk, who is doing her PHD at the University of Stavanger on the rules of working with emotion in prison.  She talks to Tanja Ødegård (Head of Criminal Justice in Region Sørvest, Norway)  and Cathrine Moseng (leader of Stavanger prison).  They talk of the place of emotion in prison work. 

EXTRA READING  

Knut Mellingsæter Sørensen  and Berit Johnsen  (2021) Prison officers’ coping strategies in a high-profile critical situation: Imprisonment after the 2011 terrorist attacks in Norway https://journals-sagepub-com.ezproxy.uis.no/doi/10.1177/26326663211004757 

CONTRIBUTORS AND CREDITS  

  Content:  

Sarah Hean University of Stavanger, Norway  

Marita Wassback, University of Stavanger, Norway  

Tanja Ødegård, Kriminalomsorgen, Norge 

Catherine Moseng, Kriminalomsorgen, Norge 

 

Editor:  
Sarah Hean University of Stavanger, Norway 

Wenche Hovland, University of Stavanger, Norway