Reimaging the future of forensic care, detention and recovery

Introduction. The artist Olivia Glebbeek organized an open podium within the context of an art exhibition in a former prison in Utrecht in 2016. This podium thematized first steps towards solving problems of the current Dutch penal and care system. Those current problems evolve around recidivism and adverse effects of incarceration on rehabilitation. The aim of this study is gaining understanding about what a diverse group of stakeholders imagines about the future perspectives of the Dutch penal and care system and the role of themselves within the system. Method. During a ‘FutureNowExperience’ focus group session as part of an art exhibition in a former prison in Utrecht, 25 diverse stakeholders of the Dutch penal and care system (ranging from ex-prisoner to professional employees) were recruited. Desired future imaginations were individually written down in Letters from the Future and then shared and discussed. The letters were collected and analyzed qualitatively based on a comparative, storyline analysis (Murray & Sools, 2014). The letters were patterned based on their desired future imaginations of the Dutch penal and care system. Results. Two story types were identified which respectively were further differentiated into two sub types. Story type 1 envisions an internal change within the system of either a more integral collaboration (subtype 1.1) or an application of a more rehabilitative approach (subtype 1.2). Story type 2 envisions a discontinuation of the system either in relationship to a societal change (subtype 2.1) or by a replacement of a purely rehabilitative alternative to prisons (subtype 2.2). The breach of all four subtypes can be identified between the respective changes envisioned in the subtypes which are envisioned to be the purpose and currently used tools within the penal and care system. These tools are optimally adopted in the desired future in some letters, however, other letters lack a description of those. Conclusion and Discussion. There is no clear distribution of the stakeholders involvement within the system regarding their varying professions. The desired future perspectives showed a clear influence of past developments and further adaptations of positive criminological models and theories. Despite the suitability of Letters from the Future as method for mapping diverse stakeholder´s desired future imaginations and implications for first steps in solving current problems, this method does not provide clear evidence for hope experienced by the stakeholders for the future.