Hester Paanakker

known on professional convergence in general, and on the uniformity of penal values in particular. Conceiving values from a value pluralism perspective indicates that dealing with values in volatile and overcrowded policy spaces is demanding and not straightforward (Michael W Spicer, 2010; D. Thacher & M. Rein, 2004). Yet, it is often assumed to represent the daily reality of on-the-ground decision making (Koppenjan et al., 2008; Oldenhof et al., 2014; Steenhuisen, 2009). In the prison context, the practical difficulty of doing justice to a multitude of values is widely recognized. Prison officers’ work is characterized by a balancing of multiple and often conflicting values (Liebling & Arnold, 2004) that challenges the unambiguous execution of good craftsmanship. According to Spicer value balancing is especially relevant (2009, p. 539) in contexts “where practitioners are often called upon to grapple with and make judgements about value conflicts, […] and where their actions are often, either explicitly or implicitly, coercive in character and affect a large number of people” - prison officers’ work pre-eminently represents such a context. In penal literature, the most commonly mentioned values said to be inextricably allied to detention are the values of security, humanity, and rehabilitation (DiIulio, 1987; Foucault, 1977; Molleman, 2014). These three goals or values are also explicitly incorporated in the mission statement of the Dutch prison system that reads: “We ensure a safe and humane detention and work with our adjacent organizations and the inmate, towards reintegration ” (Dutch Correctional Agency, 2009c). Prison officers are expected to endorse these values, but the values are inherently different in many respects (Boin et al., 2006). For instance, striking a balance between the repressive nature of security and the relational nature of humanity demands different tactics when translated to craftsmanship: “Being a good prison officer involves being good at not using force but still getting things done, and being prepared to use the various power bases officers can draw on when necessary” (Liebling et al., 2010, p. 205). This value complexity may threaten a common understanding of public craftsmanship among prison officers. 72 Chapter 3