Access to Justice – A Comparative Study of Legal Regulations Governing Prison Leave and Parole in Denmark, Finland, and Norway

Le résumé fourni par la source

This article compares and analyses the legal regulations on prison leave and release for probation in Denmark, Finland, and Norway. The main aim of the study is to add an innovative contribution to the research on access to justice (AtJ). Around the world, AtJ research has traditionally focused on poor and marginalised people(s), whereas legal aid in civil law matters has been the dominant topic in Nordic countries. This study brings new social realities within the scope of AtJ research through studying the complexity of the legal regulation of prison life in three Nordic countries. The comparison performed shows similarities as well as important differences between the countries while providing a clearer understanding of the AtJ problem related to the topics studied. This is done through the identification of bodies of legal regulations and complex divisions of power and uses of discretion, which make legal sources and processes difficult to access or understand for both prisoners and the public. This study elevates the level of quality in AtJ research by concluding that strict compliance with the wording of the law may provide formal equality, but it does not eliminate legalised inequality.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.