Smart Prisons


The term Smart Prison was introduced in the research literature first in the 2010s to describe prisons that provide digital services to prisoners via different kind of software and devices. As digitalization of prisons has proceeded, the term ‘smart prison” has started to mean different things in different countries and jurisdictions. In Finland Smart Prison was a prison concept stating prison as a learning environment for a life without crime, supported by digital services. In some other countries, ‘smart’ refers to innovative technology used in offender management, security technique, resource management etc., often referring to using Artificial Intelligence in these systems. 'Smart' can also refer to a process: how digitalization makes processes, and work flows faster and more efficient in prisons too. This has led to another concept 'digital transformation': digitalization changing the whole prison culture and ways of working in a fundamental way.

The outside prison society, normal society, has already experienced digital transformation and is continuing on that road. However, prisons lack behind. None of us in the outside society, would anymore argue that we can build up our necessary life skills and knowledge or attain our goals without digitalization, digital tools and skills. None of us could hardly study or work without these tools either. It all comes down to the fact that even basic and human rights are nowadays tied to digitalization. How can we think prisoners wouldn’t need the same digital tools, access, possibilities and opportunities to be able to reach the level of skills and knowledge necessary in the society when living a crime-free life?

I define "Smart Prison" as a holistic concept:
  • Providing digital tools to prisoners to pursue their crime-free goals.
  • Providing prisoners with digital access to rehabilitation, education, skills learning, knowledge building, and social support to reintegrate them back to society.
  • Supporting prisoners to learn digital skills needed in a digitalized society.
  • Supporting staff work flows and processes via digitalizing relevant and appropriate offender management, security technique and other resource management processes.
  • Digitalization changing the overall prison culture and ways of working.
  • Artificial Intelligence included in supporting these purposes in the future.
  • Finding a good balance between digitalization and face-to-face work and processes.

Thinking digital services are something extra for prisoners, is an outdated and old-fashioned view, and not evidence-based. A variety of research exists that prove the benefits of providing prisoners with digital services. The results are even better, if the ideology of “smart prison” is built in the larger concept and strategy of prison service. In that case, smart will be about prison reform; reform meaning ’the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, improve the effectiveness of a penal system, reduce recidivism or implement alternatives to incarceration’. When all aspects related to this definition are genuinely supported by digital means too, we have a complete Smart Prison.

SMART PRISON IS ABOUT THE NEXT PRISON REFORM!