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On 15 September, Dialogic organised a design session in the design space of Penitentiaire Inrichting Vught. This was part of the exploratory research being conducted on behalf of WODC into the possibilities of serious gaming for Dienst Justitiële Inrichtingen (DJI) of the Ministry of Security and Justice.
The group, consisting of game designers, academics, and research staff, gathered to draft specifications for a serious game or gamification concept to train penitentiary institutional workers (PIWs) to work in accordance with the new style of interaction with detainees. In the prison system, PIWs deal with both restriction of freedom and rehabilitation of detainees. While previously the focus was mainly on consistently applying uniform rules for the sake of order and safety, in recent years DJI has placed more emphasis on 'motivational interaction'. This means that PIWs should interact with detainees in a way that motivates them to work towards a future without criminality. Individualised approach is crucial: PIWs need to consider the specific situation and personal characteristics of the detainee.
Motivational interaction is based on the concrete application of five values: respect, human dignity, trust, support, and interaction. Learning to work with this new approach is not easy. The staff must learn to assess behaviour and also take on a clearer mentoring role. Serious gaming could help staff to internalise this approach.
After a tour of the premises and discussions with staff, the group got to work. Various elements need to be integrated into a game design, in which the player learns to strike a balance between safety, justice, and socialisation. The outcome is a preliminary design for a game and a gamification concept.
The final report will be completed in November. For more information, please contact Robbin te Velde on +31 30 215 05 80 or via email at tevelde@dialogic.nl.