Public Defence: Sylvia Koffeld-Hamidane

Sylvia Koffeld-Hamidane will defend her PhD degree in person centred health care. The dissertation is about the transition from prison back to society.

20 Jun

Practical information

  • Date: 20 June 2024
  • Time: 10.00 - 15.30
  • Location: Drammen, Room A-5508
  • Download calendar file

    • Link to digital participation (Zoom)

    Program 

    10.00: Trial lecture: "Who can know and how can we know about punishment and society? With what consequences?"

    12.00: Public defence: "Troublemakers, firefighters and safe havens. Lived experiences of staff support for desistance support during resettlement"

    Assessment committee

    • First opponent: Hannah Graham, University of Stirling, UK
    • Second opponent: Julie Laursen, Københavns Universitet, Denmark
    • Administrator: Heidi Haukelien, University of Southeastern Norway

    Supervisors

    • Principal supervisor: Bengt Karlsson, Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge
    • Co-supervisor: Thomas Ugelvik, Universitetet i Oslo
    • Co-supervisor: Ellen Andvig, Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge

    Chair of defence: Mirjam Lukasse

Any questions?

Sylvia Koffeld-Hamidane is defending her dissertation for the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) at the University of South-Eastern Norway.

The doctoral work has been carried out at the Faculty of health and social sciences in the program person centred health care. portrett Sylvia Koffeld-Hamidane

You are invited to follow the trial lecture and the public defence.

Summary

It can be hard to return to the community after imprisonment. In this context, the Correctional Services shall facilitate positive change and resettlement. Lately, they have formalized close partnerships with voluntary organizations to assist in this process. 

This study shows that persons who recently walked out through the prison gate value an interaction with staff based on recognition, care and continuity. Likewise, staff share a shining example of assistance where close relationships allow them to guide and support people when they face hindrances.

In this research, supportive relationships are exemplified throughout the resettlement process. However, misrecognition and fragmentation in encounters with prison employees often cause pain and frustration. Occasionally, prison staff are perceived as ‘troublemakers’ who make life more difficult after imprisonment than it was before. Despite the frustrating potential of the interaction, staff sometimes appear as stepping stones and long-awaited safe havens during these troubling transitions.

Probation staff and staff in voluntary organizations, who meet people after imprisonment, present the same ideals of assistance. This research still demonstrates differences in how they practise in line with these ideals. Probation staff compare their work to a kind of firefighting, as practical tasks overshadow the relational work they used to practice. Voluntary organization staff, on the other side, manage to establish closer relationships.

This research presents positive forms of interaction, but also interplay that is too narrow and fragmented to reflect the shared ideal. Furthermore, the thesis spotlights the blurring of boundaries between the responsibilities of voluntary organizations and the Correctional Services.