| dc.description.abstract | This study concerns individuals convicted of sex offences and their experiences with their stigmatized status both in prison and post-release. The study is based on qualitative interviews with eight adult men, all convicted of at least one sex offence. The eight men interviewed were relatively recently released from prison, and most were still subject to terms and conditions set by the Norwegian Correctional Services. Five had been sentenced to regular prison sentences, two had been sentenced to preventive detention, and one had been given a community sentence in addition to imprisonment. These men’s experiences in prison involved hearing about and witnessing violence and threats towards other persons convicted of sex offences. A few had been bullied themselves. Some were advised by prison staff to come up with a believable cover story to avoid negative sanctions from other prisoners. As a result, most informants did their best not to be recognized as a “sex offender” in prison, although some could not avoid the label. However, they were all highly aware that they were unwanted and seen as outcasts by the prison community. Their experiences in prison seem to be relevant for their choice of coping strategies after release. Drawing on theories of stigma and labeling, this thesis explores the different strategies used to escape stigma and negative sanctions after release. My results indicate that these strategies in most cases were a result of other’s perceived attitudes towards people convicted of sex offences as a group. Many informants had experienced broken bonds with family and friends as a result of their convictions. Furthermore, this group of offenders is sometimes negatively portrayed in the media, leaving individuals convicted of sexual offences with labels such as “monster”. This thesis also explores the informants’ thoughts and feelings linked to being labeled, and how they describe their self-images and future lookouts. Some still presented their futures with hope and enthusiasm, while others seemed somewhat hopeless. They described how their status as a person convicted of sexual offences did, and could possibly, limit their opportunities to live the life they wanted. The idea of Norway as exceptional when it comes to post-release reintegration and inclusiveness is thus challenged by this study. When an action is seen as extremely deviant and unwanted, the person responsible is labeled as well. And the label seems to stick, also in a country where no registration or notification laws for persons convicted of sex offences exist. The recidivism rates for this group of offenders are low, but the desistance literature suggests that belonging to a community and a social network is of great importance for re-building an identity as a non-sex offender. What the informants wanted was to be able to be open about their conviction and treated like any other citizen despite the fact that they had once committed a sexual offence. Their stories indicate that there is a need to review the idea of the inclusive Norwegian society, concerning this topic. | eng |