What happens when penal populism, political ‘tough on crime’ agendas, and anti-immigration policies flourish in a Nordic welfare state? We will address this question by looking at developments in penal policy and prison practice in Denmark in recent years, and the impact on the prison floor. In general Danish penal culture and prison practice feature many of the qualities associated with what has been termed ‘Nordic penal exceptionalism’. These features include a large proportion of open prison spaces, a focus on rehabilitation, and commitment to the principle of normalization.
However, Danish penal policy has taken an increasingly populistic ‘tough on crime’ turn during the last two decades. Anti-immigration sentiments and politics have spawned crimmigration policies, which includes an increased use of detention and imprisonment of immigrants. This has created a double pressure on penal policy and prison practice in Denmark. Additionally, the ascension of neoliberal policies since the 1970s has generated added pressure on public sector institutions.
In this article, we will look at: i) the political debate on prisons, punishment and immigration in Denmark from the late 1990’s until today; ii) important changes in penal policies and legislation during the same period; iii) developments in concrete prison practice and the ways in which prison staff interpret and deal with these changes; and iv) the ways in which foreign nationals experience their imprisonment in Denmark.
We conclude with the implications for narratives of the ‘Nordic’ more generally, and ‘Nordic penal exceptionalism’ more specifically, in the context of global migration.