Mirrors of Prison Life—From Compartmentalised Practice Towards Boundary Crossing Expertise

Abstract

In this chapter, our aim is to broaden the understanding of the compartmentalisation of practices within and between different service providers in the prison setting and to emphasise the need to cross professional boundaries between these services treating the same inmates. For this, we will provide a multidimensional “mirror” into prison life by bringing forth the different voices of the professional groups involved in the provision of mental health and prison services. A key finding is that the tensions emerging during the activities between the service providers are historically accumulated and caused by the inflexible division of labour and the lack of interagency expertise. New models to enable the crossing of the organizationel boundaries between parties are thus needed.