Prison Service’ s modernization versus Prison governors’ professionalization. Discourse, tools and practices in Belgium

Considering their intermediary position between central policy and local practices, but also the impact of new discourses and knowledge on their profession (Abbott, 1988; Freidson, 2001), this presentation will focus on prison governors’ work. This research strategy aims at posing a de-centred glance on the policy and organizational processes through which new discourses related to New Public Management [NPM] are translated (Callon, 1986) within Belgian prisons.
The focus will be put on the devices and local practices through which NPM discourses are translated and (re)shape prison governors’ profession.