Previous Article
News
Research note
The ethnography of the prisoner transitions aims at developing an advanced understanding of the re-entry process from the subjective perspective of prisoners themselves. The processes, interactions, meanings and conflicts involved in re-entry will be examined from Roma and non-Roma prisoner’s point of view. Moreover, in order to assess the impact of the cultural, political and social environment on the reintegration process, the research will be conducted in two countries: Norway and Romania. The research sample will consist of 20 Romanian prisoners with Roma background, 20 Romanian prisoners with non-Roma background, 10 Romanian prisoners held in a Norwegian prison and 5 Romanian prisoners with Roma background held in a Norwegian prison. The data collection and data analysis will follow the same procedure in both countries so that comparative analysis will be possible.
By Ioan Durnescu
The research methodology is based on an ethnographic design where researchers will ‘immerse’ themselves into the subjective realities of the prisoners. The main research methods will be observation, in-depth interview, psychometric tests and photography. During the research, the researchers will spend as much time as possible with the participants prior to and post release. The participants will ‘shadow’ the released prisoners in the first day of freedom. Interviews will be conducted: one before release and four after release (after one week, after one month, after three months, after one year from release). Psychometrics will monitor changes in motivation, agency, hope, problem solving and coping abilities.
Preliminary results will be presented at the Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology, Porto, September, 2015.
The project is co-funded by the EEA Grants / Norway through the Romanian Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation.
For more info:
Ioan Durnescu: idurnescu@gmail.com
Thomas Ugelvik: thomas.ugelvik@jus.uio.no
Related News
Keep up to date with the latest developments, stories, and updates on probation from across Europe and beyond. Find relevant news and insights shaping the field today.
New
Mental Health
CEP publishes European Mental Health Training Curriculum for Probation Staff and launches Pilot Implementation Initiative
19/05/2026
In this article, you can explore the newly published European Mental Health Training Curriculum for Probation Officers, learn about the call for a national pilot implementation, and find details about the upcoming webinar on 21 May presenting the curriculum modules.
New
Mental Health
European Mental Health Week: strengthening probation practice through mental health
13/05/2026
This week, during Mental Health Awareness Week, the Confederation of European Probation is highlighting the importance of mental health in probation practice across Europe.
New
Probation in Europe, Research
Free Research Resource: KrimDok
12/05/2026
Looking for reliable criminological literature? KrimDok is a free online database developed by the University of Tübingen and supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
The database contains nearly 400,000 references to books, journal articles, reports, and other publications covering criminology and related fields such as criminal justice, psychology, sociology, education, and law. It draws on a specialist criminology library established in 1969, with a collection of around 150,000 titles, and includes indexed articles from more than 200 academic journals.
Reading corner
Violent Extremism
New newsletter available: EU Knowledge Hub on Prevention of Radicalisation
11/05/2026
The latest edition of the EU Knowledge Hub newsletter brings together policy, research, and practice to address evolving radicalisation threats across Europe.
New
Gender-based violence
New European Master’s Programme on Perpetrator Intervention Launched
07/05/2026
The European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence (WWP EN), in collaboration with Blanquerna – Universitat Ramon Llull (Barcelona), has launched a pioneering new programme:
Lifelong Learning Master’s Degree in Intervention Strategies with Perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence: Social, Clinical, and Legal Perspectives
This initiative represents the first international lifelong learning Master’s programme specifically focused on perpetrator intervention, offering a unique opportunity for professionals working to address and prevent gender-based violence across Europe and beyond.
New
Education and Training
CEP Expert Network on Education and Training Publishes Technical Recommendations on Mentoring in Probation Training
06/05/2026
The Confederation of European Probation (CEP) is pleased to present the Technical Recommendations on Mentoring in the Context of Probation Training, developed through the work of the CEP Expert Network on Education and Training.
This publication is the result of extensive collaborative exchange among 30 experts from 15 European jurisdictions, who convened in March 2025 in Agen, France, at the École Nationale d’Administration Pénitentiaire (ENAP). Bringing together probation directors, middle managers, practitioners, and representatives from training institutions, the network worked collectively to identify shared challenges, exchange practices, and formulate practical recommendations to strengthen mentoring within probation services across Europe.
Subscribe to our bi-monthly email newsletter!
- Keep up to date with important probation developments and insights.