Navigating the ‘pains of freedom’ in open prisons

Prison life is often described as inherently painful, including within less punitive prison settings. This study explores the ‘pains of freedom’ in a low-security, or ‘open’, prison context, drawing on extensive fieldwork conducted in Leira, a Norwegian open prison. Although Leira is widely regarded as preferable to other penal settings, the data shows that pains persist, even in low-security institutions that are, in many ways, not very prisonlike. This article challenges the presupposition frequently underlying the ‘pains of imprisonment’ literature, that pains necessarily are only harmful or destructive. Processes of positive change and personal growth will often involve a certain measure of pain or discomfort. Contributing to ongoing theoretical development of the concepts ‘pains of imprisonment’ and ‘pains of freedom’, this study explores whether the pains experienced in open prisons such as Leira can, under the right circumstances, be constructive or transformative. The analysis identifies five aspects – transparency, tolerance, trust, empowerment and engagement – that help residents and staff navigate the ‘pains of freedom’.