Digital Advocacy Behind Bars: Social Workers’ Perspective on Digital Inclusion and Reintegration in Lithuania

Natalija Mažeikienė, Inesa Bunevičienė, Kristina Juraitė and Dovilė Skužinskaitė
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Natalija Mažeikienė: Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
Inesa Bunevičienė: Department of Public Communications, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
Kristina Juraitė: Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
Dovilė Skužinskaitė: Lithuanian Prison Service, Lithuania

Social Inclusion, 2026, vol. 14

Abstract: This article examines social workers’ experiences, perceptions, and understanding of the role of digital advocacy in the rehabilitation and reintegration process of incarcerated people. The current study, located in Lithuania, is based on three focus group discussions with 15 social workers working at local prisons and NGOs. The research reveals that people in prison experience limited access to digital technologies, including the internet, mobile phones, and even TV, due to strict institutional regulations. Social workers reflect on the needs of people in prison for digital literacy, self‐efficacy, and advocacy to counteract stigma and to promote a more nuanced understanding of incarceration. Public prejudices and media stigmatisation reinforce social exclusion, while proactive digital advocacy could contribute to the humanization process and community acceptance of individuals with justice system involvement. Based on the social workers’ voices, this article addresses digital advocacy and digital literacy as a shifting paradigm in prison‐based social work, which requires the balancing of digital provisions and risk management on the individual, professional, and institutional levels.

Keywords: digital advocacy; digital and social inclusion; incarceration; prison; prison social workers; rehabilitation; reintegration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cog:socinc:v14:y:2026:a:12818

DOI: 10.17645/si.12818

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