A lot of misunderstanding about technology is often related to how terminology and buzzwords start to be used out of context, becoming mainstream and setting expectations. I believe this happens often with the concept of digital transformation where the emphasis is put more on digital than on the transformational aspect of it.
Digital transformation, however, should not be about using more technology just for the sake of it. This is a process that should include questions on where technology could help us do things better. As such, it implicates the question of how we can do things better.
In most of our jurisdictions there is much space for improving prison conditions, reshaping and normalising prison environments, and strengthening our care and rehabilitation efforts. While doing so it is valuable to take a look at how technology could help, and I believe, it is even our moral obligation to reflect on how we can prepare individuals for the new normal outside, which has become digital.
However, to become really transformational, we should also include in this journey reflections on the value that our analogue work still brings. Face to face contacts, conversations and social activities are very important in the stressful and fragile prison setting. Technology can be very helpful to enhance and improve our work, but we need to be careful to see it as an extension and not a replacement of human work.
If we are not careful with this, I believe we will need to start talking about analogue transformation projects in the near future.
