This is not a prison: surrealism in transition from the perspective of staff implementing a restorative community in a carceral facility
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This qualitative study explores the implementation of a restorative justice and Nordic-influenced program at a Department of Corrections-run facility. Observations of staff at the facility and how they utilize restorative tools in the context of the legal system, which is by nature adversarial, produced a snapshot of an institution in the process of transition. The work of the corrections professional is traditionally focused on maintaining order within a carceral facility. Restorative justice principles emphasize the dignity of the individual, amends made to those who are impacted, and the well-being of the community. As the staff worked to implement dignity, a key component in Nordic-influenced carceral practice, into their daily tasks and interactions, the result was “a strange and anxious feeling sometimes created by familiar objects in unfamiliar contexts” (Tate, n.d.). This is a state best explained by artists between World Wars I and II, whose response to the condition of their society was the creation of the Surrealism movement. The nature of the criminal justice system shapes even the most routine operations of the carceral facility. Implementing a program that emphasizes personal dignity and community within the adversarial legal system creates an environment that is surreal. The surrealism produced was a sign that transformation was taking place. This study provides insight into what institutional change within the criminal legal system may look and feel like. An uncomfortable mix of old and new practices is a sign that change is underway. It also explores the implementation of restorative justice principles in conflict resolution, as well as into many aspects of daily institutional life such as clothing, eating, navigating in and out of the facility, searches of bodies and cells, programs, drugs, formal complaints, and internet access.
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Introduction -- Review of literature -- Methodology -- Findings -- Discussion
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M.S. (Master of Science)