Technology and social responsibility – The sustainability dilemmas of digital prison services
Abstract
In recent years, the rise of digital technologies and automation has fundamentally transformed everyday life, and this process has not bypassed the prison service. The ‘digital prison’ is no longer just a theoretical concept: electronic tracking devices, remote surveillance systems, and algorithm-based risk assessments have become everyday tools of prison services in many countries. At the same time, the meaning of sustainability has broadened to include not only economic and resource efficiency, but also social justice and respect for human dignity. The study examines whether digital tools can contribute to a long-term sustainable penal system that supports reintegration, or whether they reinforce new forms of surveillance and control.
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