About

The Scandinavian Prison Project is an international, interdisciplinary research project focused on documenting the development, implementation, and impact of a groundbreaking prison reform initiative in Pennsylvania. The project is led by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, in ongoing collaboration with the correctional services in Sweden (Kriminalvården) and Norway (Kriminalomsorgen).

The academic team is led by researchers from Drexel University, the University of Oslo, and the University of Maryland, who draw on comparative criminology and rigorous evaluation approaches to understand the project's impact on both staff and residents. The ultimate goal is to advance the field of corrections through evidence-based approaches to incarceration, focusing on humanity and dignity for those who live and work in prisons.