Penal pandemic: A comparative study on COVID-19 pandemic experiences in Southeast Asian prisons to inform future pandemic preparedness

The principal aims of this multidisciplinary project is to investigate how different forms of state democracy shaped prison governance, agenda setting, and resource allocation in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic; Explore state capacity and resilience in managing the pandemic in prisons; and Determine the legacies of these dynamics and lessons learned to inform future pandemic preparedness.
Project status
Ongoing
Departments
International

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed critical gaps in pandemic preparedness in Southeast Asian prisons, a topic scarcely addressed in current literature. This pioneering comparative study investigates how state democracy, capacity, resilience, and multilateral cooperation influence pandemic preparedness in prisons across Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand–countries with incarceration rates surpassing global averages. Through cross-national policy analysis, econometric examination of expenditure changes, and interviews with policymakers, this research aims to formulate comprehensive, equitable, and impactful future pandemic preparedness strategies for prisons in these countries. Employing a multidisciplinary approach–criminology, social policy, public health, politics, international relations, law, economics, and sociology–findings will provide actionable insights for elected officials and policymakers responsible for developing and implementing pandemic preparedness plans, ultimately benefiting over 516,000 prisoners and 16,000 prison staff. This research ensures valuable lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic are utilised to enhance the wellbeing of vulnerable prison populations and the prison workforce.

Research Team: Dr Nasrul Ismail, University of Bristol; Dr Thaatchaayini Kananatu, Monash University Malaysia; Professor Pitch Pongsawat, Chulalongkorn University; Dr Elmer Soriano, University of the Philippines and Civika Asian Development Academy

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