Resettlement after prison for prisoners with substance abuse issues in Norway: a wicked problem?

Abstract

Numerous studies have demonstrated that a considerable portion of prisoners in Norway are confronted with a complex life situation that necessitate comprehensive social services upon their release. This study is one of the few that offers new insights into the process of resettlement of prisoners with substance abuse issues in Norway. The study examines the experiences of prisoners (n = 9) and frontline workers (n = 9) with the support provided by welfare services during the resettlement process – within the framework of wicked problems. The previously published two substudies utilizes qualitative methods. In the present study the two substudies are used to illustrate central features of wicked problems. Prisoners find themselves in complex and unpredictable life situastions, encountering a variety of challenges during their resettlement. These challenges can be defined in multiple ways and requires involvement from several different professions. Findings are analyzed and discussed within the framework of wicked problems theory. Additionally, the paper discusses three different strategies for welfare agencies to address the challenges that prisoners face during the resettlement process.

Keywords

• Resettlement
• prisoners
• frontline workers
• wicked problems
• Heng Choon (Oliver) Chan, Department of Social Policy, Sociology, and Criminology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
• Social Work