„To byla ta nejlepší věc, co mě mohla v životě potkat“: pozitivní stránky vězení očima osob se zkušeností s trestem odnětí svobody
“It was the best thing that could have happened to me in my life”: Positive aspects of imprisonment through the eyes of people with prison experience

Summary/Abstract: In criminology, imprisonment is traditionally associated with a negative impact on the prisoner and his or her life. However, qualitative research suggests that in individual cases, prison can play a role as a turning point in a criminal career. Article illustrates this issue and related questions using findings from research carried out in Czechia and based on semi-structured interviews with a sample of parolees. It turned out that some of them perceived prison as a unique space and time for reflection on their life so far or for a desirable change in personal priorities, or as an exceptional chance to improve their psychological resilience through managing conflict situations with fellow inmates. On the other hand, considering the prison rehabilitative programs most informants tended to emphasize their own agency in the whole process of desistance. In conclusion of the article, the possibilities of using these findings in practice are discussed, including the need to study the effectiveness of imprisonment in the broader context of desistance and the related individual and structural factors.

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