Work in the Juvenile Detention Centre: the case study of Pastificio Futuro

The environment in the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) is characterised by the control and the standardisation of individual identity, which leads to the concept of ‘total institutions’ (1). Work activities can be useful for young prisoners to explore alternative social roles. Pastificio Futuro is a pasta factory operating within the JDC “Casal del Marmo” in Rome. This study aims to investigate how young prisoners employed in pasta production perceive the role of work in the processes of social integration and personal change. The research question guiding the study is: how is the work experience perceived by the young prisoners? The research adopts an exploratory qualitative approach and is based on a semi-structured focus group with the young prisoners involved in the pasta factory’s activities. The focus group was structured on four main thematic areas: a) the meaning of work, b) relationships and social recognition, c) self-perception and changes in identity, and d) future prospects. The data collected were analysed using the thematic analysis according to the model proposed by Braun and Clarke, in order to identify the main themes emerging from the participants’ discourse. The theoretical framework integrates Goffman’s total institution, stigma and labelling theory, and desistance theory. These frameworks allow us to view prison as a potentially “total istitution” and the work as a possible space for the renegotiation of social identity. The results suggest that work experience can help to promote social recognition and encourage the construction of a future-oriented self-narrative, mitigating the stigmatisation associated with imprisonment.