Mapping the Landscape of Trust: Towards a Typology in the Context of the Prison

Trust is certainly perceived as a contentious term within prison environments. When sent to prison people have their trusted status removed and are subject to risk management policies and procedures, underpinned by assessments of trust.1 Historically, relationships between staff and prisoners have been divisive, with outward expressions of trust made by either side considered to be cultural betrayal.2 In addition to this, the prioritisation of security heightens and shapes conceptions of trust, which can then also differ significantly between institutions.3 More generally, people in prison often have adverse experiences of trust, particularly relating to state criminal justice institutions and broader social structures, meaning prisons are broadly distrusting environments.4 Despite these hurdles, there are multiple research studies that evidence the existence of trust in prisons, drawing attention to its benefits,5 its challenges,6 and the ways in which it can operate.7