Procedural justice and language barriers in a Swiss penitentiary.

This article investigates the relationship between perceptions of procedural justice (PJ) and language barriers among male prisoners at the largest penitentiary in Switzerland, where a high proportion of inmates are non-nationals. Using a multilingual questionnaire, the study found that over one-third of prisoners experienced expressive or receptive language barriers, which were significantly associated with lower perceptions of PJ—a concept encompassing fair treatment, respect, voice in decision-making, and trust in authorities. The findings suggest that language barriers, rather than citizenship status alone, negatively impact prisoners' views of fairness and legitimacy within the prison system. The study highlights the importance of addressing language challenges to improve procedural justice perceptions, which are linked to better rehabilitation outcomes and institutional safety.