Participation in a prison context: Motives, barriers and needs of foreign national prisoners.

The research project focuses on prison participation of foreign nationals. It aims to develop and test a culturally sensitive “prison participation model”. Although the prison population is becoming more diverse in terms of nationality and ethnicity, research on participation of this group in prison activities is very scant. A mixed-method study – using a standardized questionnaire and in-depth interviews based on the methodology of appreciative inquiry– will be used (1) to gain knowledge about prison participation of foreign nationals (degree and type of participation), (2) to get insight into the motives, barriers and needs foreign national prisoners experience concerning prison participation, and (3) to test the importation and deprivation theories on participation of foreign national prisoners, as well as on their related motives and barriers. The research aims to contribute to understanding the mechanisms that foster or impede foreign national prisoners’ participation in activities during their time of incarceration, which in turn are hypothesized to result in behaviour favourable for the person (e.g. better mental and physical health), prison (e.g. better dynamic security) and society (e.g. less recidivism). From a theoretical perspective, the findings will enrich the knowledge in the fields of criminology, prison sociology and educational sciences.