Prison Insider: A study on how prison administrations around the world account for climate change and implement the ecological transition.
Climate change and the need to adopt more sustainable practices are forcing public institutions to radically revise their operating methods. Prison administrations are no exception, and they are currently facing unprecedented challenges. Prison facilities, most of which are old and were not designed for sustainability, contribute greatly to the carbon footprint. They are also being hit hard by the devastating effects of climate change, which exacerbate prisoners’ daily struggles and make work more difficult for prison staff.

Plans, procedures, measures and schemes are gradually being prepared to address these challenges. Progress is being made, but its effects remain limited, as prisons are often neglected in the considerations, policies and guidance for emergency management or the ecological transition – when they are not excluded entirely.

This is the context in which the French Directorate of Prison Administration requested that Prison Insider carry out a study on how prison administrations around the world account for climate change and implement the ecological transition. As part of this study, Prison Insider conducted in-depth documentary research. Perspectives were gathered from people with recognised expertise through a total of 15 interviews carried out via videoconference and 16 written exchanges. These experts included members of prison administrations, academics and members of international organisations and civil society in 13 countries (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States). The study also drew from articles and reports produced at the national and international levels, providing precise and up-to-date observations. 

Read full report: Prison Administration Responses to the Climate Crisis