Good practices

Internet for Inmates (IFI) (Norway)

IFI is designed to offer prisoners a safely and secured internet connection, with an eye on education.

Origins

• In Norway, prisoners have the right on education

• ICT is a really important part of education

• Providing good education as the outside world receives it

The structure of IFI

In Norwegian prisons, there are 2 safety regimes: the high security prisoners and the low security prisoners. Therefore, there are also 2 security levels in IFI. The internetfilter is based around webpages being categorized in categories (e.g. education, ngo’s, work, housing etc.). In every categorie, there are several websites the prisoners can consult.

How it works

Dependening on the safety regime in which the prisoner is, the prisoner has acces to more or less well-defined categories of websites. High security prisoners have acces to 20 categories. Low security prisoners have acces to approximately 40 categories, within some opportunities to communicate with the outside world.

Social reintegration and learning

The websites are offered with an eye on social reintegration and formal and informal education. Prisoners can consult websites for translating language and can read newspapers from multiple countries, so foreign prisoners are involved too. Low security prisoners can also have acces to learning platforms to schools outside the prisons. On these platforms, they can communicate with teachers, upload their homework assignments, join discussions, make examens and more.

Prisoners can also consult websites to find a job or house, to search the bus schedule for leaving prison but also websites to study for the theoretical part of the driver’s license etc.

IFI tries to help the prisoner to become an e-citizen.