Support and control: Individualised supervision work during gradual release in Finland

This article examines how supervision work during gradual release from prison in Finland contributes to the individualisation of punishment. Drawing on interviews with prison and community sanction officials, it demonstrates how probation and parole are understood as client-centred practices aimed at supporting social integration, with emphasis on individual planning, trust, and participatory cooperation instead of punitive control. Despite institutional reforms introducing efficiency targets and risk management, we argue that the supervision of gradual release in Finland continues to reflect social work values and orientations, even amid resource constraints and tightening penal policies.