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This is a podcast of the second part of the live stream of the IN-CJ Webinar on: ‘Digitisation and Human Rights in Prisons’.
With a panel of experts and practitioners we discussed how digital change in prisons has accelerated rapidly in 2020, and where it will take us in the coming year? We asked what are the policy and practice challenge that are being faced by criminal justice advocates, managers and policymakers across Europe?
Key presentations were from Rubikon, Czech Republic + Steven van de Steene, France + Victoria Knight, United Kingdom, which were followed by a Q&A Discussion
Issues covered – values and ethics of digitisation in prisons; development of communication tools in prison settings around the world; impact on prisoners and staff of digital agenda; practice implications of on-line interviews – opportunities to question seminar experts.
Programme for Seminar:
- Welcome and Introduction – Facilitator – John Scott
- Digitisation Overview – Victoria Knight
- Values Framework – Steven van de Steen and Victoria Knight
- Round Table – opportunity for reflection and comments
- Lived Experience – Service User Perspective – John Coster UK
- Audience – opportunity for questions and comments
- Questions and Concerns – NGO Perspective – Jana Smiggels Kavková
- Audience – opportunity for questions and comments
- Public Sector Perspective – Roman Šafránek, Czech Republic Prison Service
- Round Table discussion and Questions from Audience – Facilitator
- Conclusion
The second part of IN-CJ’s international webinar on digitisation in prisons turned the spotlight onto lived experience, the role of NGOs, and the perspectives of public service leaders. Building on Part 1’s exploration of ethical frameworks and moral drivers, this discussion examined how digital technologies are shaping daily life in prisons, and how responses to COVID-19 accelerated change.
John Coster, reflecting on his lived experience of prison before widespread digital access, described the importance of communication with families, access to education, and personal autonomy. He emphasised that digital tools can reduce isolation, sustain family connections, and create opportunities for learning, but warned that technology must be managed in ways that balance security with rehabilitation.
From the NGO sector, Jana Kavková of Rubicon (Czech Republic) outlined how her organisation adapted rapidly during the pandemic by offering online counselling for prisoners. She called this a “revolutionary change” in Czech prisons, noting that digital platforms improved efficiency and created more frequent contact opportunities, but also highlighted challenges such as privacy, uneven standards across institutions, and the need for supportive frameworks.
Roman Šafránek of the Czech Prison Service provided a public sector view, describing initiatives such as video calls, in-cell telephony, kiosks, and e-learning. These changes, accelerated by COVID-19, showed how prisons could integrate technology into both daily life and long-term planning. He stressed the importance of IT infrastructure, collaboration with NGOs, and balancing human contact with digital provision.
Contributors including Victoria Knight, Steve, Eva (Prisoners’ Education Trust), Pedro, and Aidan expanded the debate. They raised concerns about cost barriers, the need for appropriate digital content, and the risk of creating digital silos. They emphasised that technology is never neutral and must be guided by ethical principles that prioritise equality, fairness, and rehabilitation.
Taken together, these reflections underline the transformative potential of digitisation in prisons. Yet they also highlight that digital change is not simply technical but deeply human, raising questions of trust, legitimacy, and rights.
Listen to the full discussion in IN-CJ Podcast 009 – Digitisation in Prisons Webinar Part 2