Prison Regime and Quality of Life as Predictors of Prisoners’ Well-being in Serbia

Resumen

Given limited empirical research on how prison regimes and perceived quality of life shape prisoner well-being, particularly in Southeast Europe, this cross-sectional study examined these associations among male prisoners in Serbia. The convenience sample included 525 prisoners from the four largest prisons in Serbia. Data were collected using the Measuring the Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) survey and the WHOQOL-BREF. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses tested how four WHOQOL-BREF domains predicted five MQPL-based outcomes while controlling for prison regime (closed vs. semi-open). Prison regime significantly predicted all outcomes, with prisoners in semi-open regimes reporting more favourable scores. However, its effect weakened after quality-of-life variables were introduced. Environmental Health emerged as the strongest predictor, especially for Personal Development and the Global score. Physical and Psychological Health were most strongly associated with Distress, while Social Relationships negatively predicted most outcomes except Distress. These findings highlight the importance of environmental and psychosocial conditions in shaping prisoners’ well-being. Less restrictive regimes may foster more positive prison experiences by supporting autonomy, personal development, and reduced distress, with potential benefits for rehabilitation and reintegration.