Support and control: Individualised supervision work during gradual release in Finland

Jukka Könönen; Emma Villman

doi:10.1177/02645505261429057

Support and control: Individualised supervision work during gradual release in Finland

Jukka Könönen^*
, Emma Villman

^*Corresponding author for this work

Unit of Social Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

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Abstract

This article examines how supervision work during gradual release from prison in Finland contributes to the individualisation of punishment. Drawing on interviews with prison and community sanction officials, it demonstrates how probation and parole are understood as client-centred practices aimed at supporting social integration, with emphasis on individual planning, trust, and participatory cooperation instead of punitive control. Despite institutional reforms introducing efficiency targets and risk management, we argue that the supervision of gradual release in Finland continues to reflect social work values and orientations, even amid resource constraints and tightening penal policies.

Original language	English
Journal	Probation Journal
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/02645505261429057
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 2026
Publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

community sanctions
gradual release
parole
probation
social work
supervision

Publication forum classification

Publication forum level 1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Law

Access to Document

10.1177/02645505261429057Licence: CC BY

könönen-villman-2026-support-and-control-individualised-supervision-work-during-gradual-release-in-finlandFinal published version, 396 KBLicence: CC BY

https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202604143881Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Support and control: Individualised supervision work during gradual release in Finland",

abstract = "This article examines how supervision work during gradual release from prison in Finland contributes to the individualisation of punishment. Drawing on interviews with prison and community sanction officials, it demonstrates how probation and parole are understood as client-centred practices aimed at supporting social integration, with emphasis on individual planning, trust, and participatory cooperation instead of punitive control. Despite institutional reforms introducing efficiency targets and risk management, we argue that the supervision of gradual release in Finland continues to reflect social work values and orientations, even amid resource constraints and tightening penal policies.",

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language = "English",

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T1 - Support and control

T2 - Individualised supervision work during gradual release in Finland

AU - Könönen, Jukka

AU - Villman, Emma

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2026. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - This article examines how supervision work during gradual release from prison in Finland contributes to the individualisation of punishment. Drawing on interviews with prison and community sanction officials, it demonstrates how probation and parole are understood as client-centred practices aimed at supporting social integration, with emphasis on individual planning, trust, and participatory cooperation instead of punitive control. Despite institutional reforms introducing efficiency targets and risk management, we argue that the supervision of gradual release in Finland continues to reflect social work values and orientations, even amid resource constraints and tightening penal policies.

AB - This article examines how supervision work during gradual release from prison in Finland contributes to the individualisation of punishment. Drawing on interviews with prison and community sanction officials, it demonstrates how probation and parole are understood as client-centred practices aimed at supporting social integration, with emphasis on individual planning, trust, and participatory cooperation instead of punitive control. Despite institutional reforms introducing efficiency targets and risk management, we argue that the supervision of gradual release in Finland continues to reflect social work values and orientations, even amid resource constraints and tightening penal policies.

KW - community sanctions

KW - gradual release

KW - parole

KW - probation

KW - social work

KW - supervision

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U2 - 10.1177/02645505261429057

DO - 10.1177/02645505261429057

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105033104367

SN - 0264-5505

JO - Probation Journal

JF - Probation Journal

ER -

Support and control: Individualised supervision work during gradual release in Finland

Abstract

Keywords

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