The idea of a gradual release from prison is an important objective of the Nordic criminal justice systems. The Criminal Sanctions Agency in Finland aims at lowering security levels in enforcement, whenever so is reasonable and justified. By transferring prisoners from closed to open prison and offering supervised probationary freedom (electronic monitoring) for the last months of a prison sentence, prison authorities allocate greater freedom to prisoners considered suitable for a more open enforcement. This presentation gives a prisoner perspective on the gradual release process, focusing on experiences of supervised probationary freedom.
The presentation builds on interview data with prisoners having experience of supervised probationary freedom. The study shows that even if prisoners appreciate the opportunity of serving sentences at lower security levels, the open enforcement poses its own challenges. Economic strain, burdens of freedom, and stress caused by permanent monitoring were some of the challenges expressed by prisoners serving the end of their prison sentence at home. Based on these prisoner experiences, the paper discusses the premises and potential for rehabilitation and resettlement in supervised probationary freedom.