"Fathers in Prison" program may create a basis for desistance among Norwegian prisoners

Abstract

This article presents some of the results from an evaluation of the program Fathers in Prison, created for convicted fathers in Norway. The evaluation is based on interviews with participants at the start and end of the program, and at about six months after completion. The survey shows that participants became more concerned with their role as a father and felt that it conflicted with criminal activity. The program therefore appeared, in isolation, to change participants’ attitudes, but a lack of follow-up after conclusion appeared to weaken its effect.