Hjørnestenene i den danske kriminalforsorg: Normalisering og åbenhed

The principles of normalisation and openness is cornerstone in modern prison philosophy. Normalisation involves bringing prison life as close as possible to normal outside life and openness counteracts the negative effects of the total institution (Rentzmann, 1996). Both normalisation and openness mean that the norm is to place a person in an open prison, and only if it concretely judged that there is a real risk of escape, or if the prisoner is considered dangerous, should he/she be placed in a closed prison. The question is, if the Danish prison system in the era of the millennium still pay tribute to the two cornerstones in the lens of prisoner placement and furloughs? The sentence length and disciplinary offences can determinate both prisoner placement and prison furloughs, why the article in addition explores the development in determinate sentencing and disciplinary punishment. Based on statistics and legislation the analysis reveals, that during 2002-2019 severe penalties are imposed, the average sentence length has increased, more prisoners are placed in closed prisons, fewer prison furloughs are permitted, and more prisoners have been exposed to disciplinary punishment. The development can be explained by laws and rules implemented to handle gang related crime and gang related prisoners, who cover about 10 percent of the total prison population. However, the stricter laws and rules as means to discipline the few have influenced the many and undermined the basic principles of normalisation and openness in Danish prisons.