Barn, unge og straffegjennomføring

Abstract

Children, Youth and Penal Sentencing is about the ways in which children and young people have been punished throughout the history of our penal system, and why and how we punish them today.

This book provides the latest research on imprisoned children and young people, and the kinds of conditions they live under within and outside of prison. In the book, prison is understood as a space for personal growth and emphasizes the significance of prison architecture and spaces for its youngest inhabitants. Several of the chapters discuss encounters between children, youth and prison staff such as corrections officers, chaplains, social and child welfare agents, and how professionals with a background in design can work together with young people. The voices of children and young people feature prominently in the book, which ranges from extensive statistical material to detailed experiences related to the direct and indirect effects of punishment on the lives of children and young people.

This book is the first of its kind in Norway, and the authors represent such disciplines as sociology, sociology of law, political science, psychology, theology, social sciences, demography, design, and child welfare. Overall, the book contributes new and important research on our treatment of children and young people who are in conflict with the law, on opportunities and challenges in carrying out penal sentences, and on socio-philosophical questions related to punishment and carrying out sentences.