The lived experience of people on parole and probation

The lived experience of people on parole and probation.

The experiences of people on probation and parole are not yet well explored in Switzerland. The existing international research shows shortcomings both in terms of theory (vagueness of the concept) and methodology (almost exclusive use of semi-structured interviews).

The present project contributes to filling these gaps by adopting a multi-sensory methodology to explore the (current) life situation of people in the transitional phase between incarceration and liberty. Since in Switzerland we have two different systems to adopt a risk-oriented approach in the execution of sanctions, we furthermore compare the potential impact on the lived experience.

By using visual and material-spatial methods, the project aims to explore the different dimensions of experience and understand them in a holistic way. The research plan involves a total of 16 people in two cantons in French and German-speaking Switzerland and several stages of data collection to understand the lived experience beyond the reflective narrative.

A project of the research group CrimSo