The Correctional Services Research Group Promotes Ethically Sustainable Research that Supports the Inclusion of People in Vulnerable Positions

The mission of the Correctional Services Research Group is to promote ethically sustainable research that supports the social and digital inclusion of vulnerable groups and desistance from crime. One of the objectives of our research group is to strengthen our profile in national and international networks as key experts in the correctional and social services sectors through the research projects we implement, publication activities, and project funding applications.

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The research activities of our group are built around five key research themes that address current societal challenges. These themes focus on the digitalizing criminal sanctions field, desistance from crime, multiagency social work, dynamic security in correctional services, and socioethical questions. Our ongoing research and development projects are built around these themes, which also serve as a foundation for developing new project continuums to address needs and gaps identified in working life. At Laurea, education and research and development (RDI) activities in the fields of criminal sanctions and social services have a long tradition spanning more than 20 years. At the core of our work is the promotion of social inclusion of vulnerable groups, such as incarcerated people and people with history of crime, as well as strengthening the competencies of professionals working across different sectors who support these groups.

Laurea has long traditions in education as well as research and development in the correctional services and social welfare sectors. The everyday work of our research group consists of teaching master’s degree programmes in correctional and social services, implementing research projects, and preparing funding applications in collaboration with other teams, partners and experts. In addition to teaching and thesis supervision, the members of our group work as project managers, researchers and in other responsible roles in various research projects. As a result, we integrate our findings into the teaching of master’s degree programmes in the correctional and social services, through which we aim to strengthen the research-based foundation of these programmes (Correctional Services Development and Management Master’s Degree Programme; Client-Oriented Development in Social Services Master’s Degree Programme). In Laurea’s Master’s degree programmes (UAS), teaching emphasizes working-life-oriented development, where Master’s students act as experts in their field and take on an active role as developers. We also create opportunities for students to participate in the development of practices in the field, the production of new knowledge, and co‑research.

Research programmes and Laurea’s strategy guide societal impact

At Laurea University of Applied Sciences, impactful RDI activities are promoted under three research programmes: Sustainable and Versatile Social and Health Care, Service Business and Circular Economy, and Coherent Security. The Correctional Services Research Group operates as part of the Sustainable and Versatile Social and Health Care research program, which aims to promote health, well-being, and functional capacity in society. The role of our research group is to produce research knowledge that helps educate professionals in the correctional and social services fields, as well as develop practical solutions and new operational models that help address challenges in the correctional and social services fields.

Our research, development and innovation (RDI) activities promotes societal impact, responsibility, and development‑based learning (see also Laurea’s 2035 Strategy). Our research group is actively involved in national and international networks, through which we strive to strengthen Laurea’s position as a socially influential higher education institution The research groups’ RDI activities focus on the interfaces of the correctional and social services sectors. Our themes respond to the changing needs of society and support Laurea’s strategic objectives. Through the research groups’ RDI work, we aim to promote sustainable development, safety, and inclusion, as well as ethically sustainable research that supports the social and digital inclusion of people in vulnerable positions.

Research themes guiding the activities of the research group

The research themes of the correctional services research group strongly guide our activities. They place particular emphasis on the social and digital inclusion of people with history of crime, desistance from crime and reintegration into society, and the development of digital and user-oriented services.

The research theme Desistance from crime and reintegration into society focuses on supporting life change among people with history of crime and preventing recidivism. We examine the individual’s desistance and re-entry into society, particularly from the perspectives of support provided by expert-by-experience and the development of service continuums within the service system (see projects: Re-entry; MoveOn; UNIK; VAPAA). A distinctive strength of the research team is the engagement of project workers with lived experience backgrounds in the MoveOn and UNIK projects. These project workers work alongside professionals from various sectors (e.g. Child welfare and aftercare services within wellbeing services counties, Prison and Probation Services, Specialized and school based youth work) in professional pairings. By drawing on their own experiential knowledge and lived experience, they bring added value in encountering and supporting young people who are engaged with crime, walking alongside them and supporting their connection to services, communities, or leisure activities. (See projects: MoveOn; UNIK).

Under the theme Promoting digital inclusion of marginalized client groups, we examine the opportunities and challenges of digitalisation in various environments within the correctional services sector and in social and health services. We investigate how technological solutions can increase accessibility and inclusion, especially for groups in vulnerable positions (see projects: DigiIN; DigiRise; Digikaverit). Digital inclusion is seen as a means of strengthening individual agency and social participation, where digital support from professionals and peers plays a central role.

Under the theme Multiagency social work and community-based support, we have studied multi-professional cooperation between actors in the criminal sanctions field, social services, and the third sector, and how multiagency social work can support individuals released from prison in connecting with society and the services they need, as well as the social inclusion of vulnerable groups (Rantanen et al. 2025; see projects: VAPAA; Ttuki). In our ongoing projects, we also focus on developing operational models for implementing multiagency network-based work, where experiential knowledge plays a key role in helping young people who are engaged with crime and in developing networks (see projects: MoveOn; UNIK). We also promote the development of client-oriented and community-based support models that strengthenindividuals’ social inclusion and reintegration (see projects: VAPAA; Re-entry).

In addition, Social ethics in societal transition theme examines ethical questions from the perspectives of people in vulnerable positions in different contexts. Our future interests include investigating what kinds of socioethical questions are related to the fairness of services, the realization of individual rights, and professional responsibilities in a context where societal structures are undergoing change. In our project activities, we have promoted understanding of human rights, the prevention of racism, and the promotion of fair trade in Europe, particularly in higher education (see project: Joint eStories). In addition, we have examined the multidimensional ethical issues related to the use of trustworthy efficient artificial intelligence and to dis- and misinformation (see projects ATHENA, MANOLO), and we also aim to further develop new projects in these areas. The ethical issues we examine are embedded in the context of planetary wellbeing and in efforts to strengthen the capacity of international higher education institutions and organisations to integrate sociocultural sustainability, digital approaches, and planetary wellbeing into education, while simultaneously promoting the employability and quality of life of people in vulnerable situations (see project RESHAPE).

Dynamic security in the correctional services theme examines, among other things, how safety is built through respectful interaction and trust (see e.g., Järveläinen 2022; Järveläinen & Rantanen 2019). We have examined how technical, physical, and dynamic security orientations can support occupational and institutional safety at individual and community levels. Our particular interest is to examine the maintenance of safety from the perspectives of the role of professionals, respectful encounters, and activating client work (Järveläinen & Rantanen 2024; 2025).

Future Visions and Challenges

Cuts to financial resources across different sectors of public administration, changes in service and client systems, and the digitalisation of operations have had a significant impact on the life situations of vulnerable groups. At the same time, these developments have created competence gaps and resource shortages among personnel across various sectors. These changes further emphasize the importance of carrying out RDI projects that promote the inclusion of vulnerable groups and strengthen the competencies of professionals.

The mission of our research group is to further develop and expand our research themes in order to respond more proactively and needs‑based on emerging phenomenon‑driven and structural challenges in society. Our development work is continuous and multi‑voiced, realized through the pooling of resources and close cooperation with working‑life partners and students. At the same time, we actively seek new partnerships and innovate new initiatives through our RDI activities to strengthen impact, anticipate future competence needs, and respond agilely to societal changes.