Bjørn Kjetil Larsen

• Vestvik, Heine Tønnesen & Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2026). Young people’s experiences of coherent and flexible support in youth flexible ACT in Norway. The British Journal of Social Work. ISSN 0045-3102. doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcag111. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Young people facing mental health difficulties and co-occurring challenges often receive support across multiple services, where coordination and continuity can be difficult to realize. Youth Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (Youth Flexible ACT) is a multidisciplinary, team-based model designed to provide coordinated, outreach-oriented, and flexible follow-up over time. This qualitative study explored how young people in Norway described what made the Youth Flexible ACT follow-up feel coherent and workable. Nine young people aged sixteen to twenty-two years were recruited through three Youth Flexible ACT teams and interviewed using a semi-structured guide. Data were analysed using Systematic Text Condensation. Participants described support as most helpful when it felt connected, predictable, and relationally safe. Prepared meetings, transparent communication, shared planning, and clear next steps strengthened coherence. Flexibility supported manageability when paired with reliability, but became a vulnerability when availability was unclear or changes were abrupt. The findings show that, in social work and related youth services, coordination becomes meaningful through everyday micro-situations where support is made predictable, understandable, and relationally safe.

• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Vestvik, Heine Tønnesen & Hean, Sarah Catherine Patricia Duff (2026). Fragile hope in a fragmented system: participants’ experiences of the Norwegian Drug Court. Justice, Opportunities, and Rehabilitation. ISSN 2997-965X. 65(5), p. 339–358. doi: 10.1080/2997965x.2026.2678794. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This article examines how participants in the Norwegian Drug Court (ND) describe their everyday experiences of support, control, and motivation. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 15 men enrolled in the program, the study explores how participants contrasted ND with other parts of the welfare and justice systems. While correctional staff were described as supportive, respectful, and sometimes protective advocates, welfare institutions such as the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration (NAV) and health services were often experienced as stigmatizing and exclusionary. Through the lens of complexity theory, the findings suggest that motivation and hope did not arise from formal structures but from micro-level relational encounters that created temporary stability in otherwise fragmented systems. Yet these supports were fragile, contingent on individual professionals, and easily disrupted. The analysis argues that ND embodies a paradox: it offers care and continuity where other systems fail, but it does so within a framework of conditionality and control. Even in a strong Norwegian welfare state, rehabilitation remains dependent on the discretionary efforts of frontline workers, pointing to systemic vulnerabilities in how justice and welfare institutions respond to people with complex needs.

• Jensen, Vilde Sund; Ødegård, Atle; Hoemsnes, Helene & Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2026). Enhancing interprofessional collaboration in social welfare services for youth with complex needs: A scoping review. The British Journal of Social Work. ISSN 0045-3102. doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcag011. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is widely promoted to improve support for youth with complex and multiple needs, yet fragmented and poorly coordinated services persist. This scoping review seeks to explore how IPC has been conceptualised in social welfare services, describe factors that shape collaborative processes, and identify areas where further research is needed. Informed by complexity theory, IPC is conceptualised as a dynamic, adaptive process arising from non-linear interactions among professionals, youths, and families. A comprehensive search of five databases yielded 785 records; twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were charted and thematically analysed, generating five themes: (1) General Characteristics, (2) The Construct of Interprofessional Collaboration, (3) Barriers and Drivers of Interprofessional Collaboration, (4) User Participation, and (5) Outcome. Findings indicate that the literature foregrounds drivers and barriers primarily from professional perspectives while offering limited clarity on IPC’s core definitions and intended outcomes. IPC is frequently treated as a ‘black box’, marked by heterogeneous terminology and uneven empirical grounding. Future research should move beyond descriptive accounts and develop approaches that foreground youth perspectives while capturing the evolving, relational dynamics of IPC.

• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Laake, Petter; Strype, Jon & Ødegård, Atle (2026). Validating the Perception of Sex Offenders Scale (PSO) Among Norwegian Students in Health, Social Work, and Police Education. BMC Measurement Instruments for the Social Sciences. 8(2026). doi: 10.5964/miss.19995. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Reliable instruments are essential for studying perceptions of individuals convicted of sexual offences across cultural contexts. This study evaluates the psychometric properties of the Perceptions of Sex Offenders Scale (PSO) among Norwegian students in nursing, social education, social work, and police education (N = 282). Using confirmatory factor analysis, we tested the fit of the PSO’s original three-factor structure. The model showed mixed fit (RMSEA = .072; SRMR = .072; CFI = .86; TLI = .84). Internal consistency was satisfactory for Sentencing and Management and Stereotype Endorsement (α = .82 and .70), but low for Risk Perception (α = .53). Internal validity indices were uneven: composite reliability was acceptable for Sentencing and Management and Stereotype Endorsement (CR = .89 and .71), but not for Risk Perception (CR = .58), and AVE values were below recommended thresholds across factors, particularly for Risk Perception (AVE = .227). Free-text responses indicated that participants primarily had rape and child sexual abuse in mind when responding to the PSO. Overall, the PSO shows promise in a Norwegian student context, but the Risk Perception dimension appears to require refinement before the scale can be used confidently for research and educational purposes.

• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil & Ødegård, Atle (2025). Exploring Frontline Workers Perception of Interprofessional Collaboration Within Drug Courts in Norway. Journal of Comparative Social Work. 20(2), p. 143–166. doi: 10.31265/gkz2yf23. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This qualitative study examines the perceptions of interprofessional collaboration among frontline workers involved in Norwegian drug courts. Using the Perception of Interprofessional Collaboration Model (PINCOM), and Goffman’s theory of front stage and backstage communication, the study explores the complexities and informal dynamics of collaboration processes. Semi-structured interviews with 16 frontline workers revealed key factors influencing collaboration, including motivation, personality style, group leadership, organizational culture, and organizational environment. Findings suggest that both formal and informal aspects of collaboration, such as physical proximity and interpersonal relationships, play significant roles in achieving successful outcomes. The study highlights the challenges of interprofessional collaboration in addressing the complex, multifaceted needs of drug court participants, and underscores the importance of continuous reflection on informal dynamics to enhance collaboration.

• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Sæbjørnsen, Siv Elin Nord & Ødegård, Atle (2025). Hjelp i straff: Erfaringer fra Narkotikaprogram med domstolskontroll (ND). Fontene forskning. ISSN 1890-9868. 18(2), p. 19–31. doi: https:/fontene.no/forskning/hjelp-i-straff-erfaringer-fra-narkotikaprogram-med-domstolskontroll-nd-6.584.1182101.aa475c7dc6. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne studien undersøker hvordan ansatte i Kriminalomsorgen og aktive deltakere opplever Narkotikaprogram med domstolskontroll (ND). Artikkelen legger særlig vekt på samspillet mellom kontroll og støtte, og hvordan det tverrsektorielle samarbeidet fungerer i praksis. Studien bygger på kvalitative intervjuer med 31 informanter, 16 ansatte og 15 aktive deltakere. Med utgangspunkt i teori om gjenstridige problemer og Honneths anerkjennelsesteori analyserer vi erfaringer med systemfragmentering, relasjonell støtte og profesjonelle grenseoppganger i ND. Funnene viser at Kriminalomsorgen fremstår som en stabil og tillitsvekkende aktør, i kontrast til opplevd svikt i andre deler av velferdssystemet. Relasjonen til saksbehandlere i Kriminalomsorgen fremheves som særlig betydningsfull. Studien peker på behov for bedre strukturell forankring av det tverrsektorielle samarbeidet, samt mer kunnskap om dommerens funksjon i ND. Resultatene aktualiserer grunnleggende dilemmaer i norsk ruspolitikk og gir innsikt i hvordan kontroll og støtte praktiseres i en kompleks rehabiliteringskontekst. Nøkkelord: Narkotikaprogram med domstolskontroll (ND), kriminalomsorgen, anerkjennelse.

• Melbye, Marita Christina Susanne; Kjetil, Larsen Bjørn & Eines, Trude Fløystad (2025). Fostering professional identity through interprofessional debriefing : a scoping review. Journal of Interprofessional Care. ISSN 1356-1820. 40(2026)(2), p. 365–377. doi: 10.1080/13561820.2025.2568867. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Simulation-enhanced interprofessional education (IPE-sim) improves students’ interprofessional collaboration skills. During the debriefing phase, students analyze and reflect on their performance to develop the collaborative skills required for effective teamwork. Although IPE-sim has become increasingly common in health professional education, interprofessional debriefing after IPE-sims lacks clarity. This scoping review was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute’s scoping review methodology and aimed to expound empirical research on IPE in a healthcare context, focusing on debriefing in IPE-sim. A systematic search of Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and Google Scholar was undertaken between April and May 2024. A total of 17 articles were included. Three themes were identified. The first theme highlights how healthcare students learn through interprofessional reflection during debriefing. The second focuses on the importance of structuring the interprofessional debriefing process. Finally, the third theme emphasizes the facilitator’s role in supporting a learning environment for interprofessional debriefing. Debriefing allows students to develop their professional identities and dual roles in interprofessional teamwork, with facilitators playing a crucial role. Future researchers should examine how interprofessional debriefing can best be designed and aligned with established competency frameworks to optimize identity development and collaborative practice in healthcare education.

• Dale, Karl Yngvar; Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Hean, Sarah Catherine Patricia Duff & Ødegård, Atle (2025). Exploring relational and structuring skills among Norwegian probation officers during mandatory supervision sessions. European Journal of Probation (EJP). 17(1), p. 35–51. doi: 10.1177/20662203251327514. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study draws on person-centered therapy, Bordin’s working alliance model, and the guidelines from the Norwegian Prison and Probation Service to explore how Norwegian probation officers demonstrate key relational skills during supervision. Thirteen participants from probation offices in western Norway took part in three focus groups: two with supervisees and one with probation officers. Thematic analysis revealed two key themes: (1) perceptions of inconsistent focus and (2) a cautious atmosphere of trust. While empathy emerged as a crucial factor in building a working alliance, it sometimes came at the cost of structure and planning. However, this imbalance did not necessarily undermine the sessions’ effectiveness, as trust and rapport form a strong foundation for growth. The findings highlight that balancing a strong bond with clear structure is central to effective probation supervision. This implies that probation officers should leverage relational trust to introduce structure, thereby fostering sustainable behavioral change.

• Vestvik, Heine Tønnesen; Tuastad, Svein Erik & Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2024). Samværsvurderinger i barnevernet etter EMD-dommene. Fontene forskning. ISSN 1890-9868. 17(2), p. 60–73. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Den europeiske menneskerettsdomstolen (EMD) har i flere dommer funnet at norsk barnevern har krenket foreldrenes og barnets rett til familieliv i saker om samvær, adopsjon og gjenforening. Nyere undersøkelser tyder på at disse dommene har ført til endringer i barnevernets praksis, og har skapt bekymring for om sterkere vektlegging av foreldrenes interesser går på bekostning av barnets interesser. I denne studien ser vi nærmere på hvordan EMD-dommene påvirker barnevernsansattes vurderinger ved å la ansatte diskutere en tenkt case i to fokusgrupper. Funnene viser at de barnevernsansatte lot barnets behov og meninger legge premissene for vurderingene, samtidig som de diskuterte og forsøkte å ta hensyn til prinsippet om familiegjenforening i vurderingene. I den siste delen diskuterer vi hvordan utviklings- og tilknytningsteorien som rådende teori i barneverntjenesten kan stå i veien for føringene fra EMD. Studien kan bidra til å kaste nytt lys over den sammensatte situasjonen barneverntjenesten står i etter EMD- dommene.

• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil & Ødegård, Atle (2024). Resettlement after prison for prisoners with substance abuse issues in Norway: a wicked problem? Cogent Social Sciences. 10(1). doi: 10.1080/23311886.2024.2372066. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Numerous studies have demonstrated that a considerable portion of prisoners in Norway are confronted with a complex life situation that necessitate comprehensive social services upon their release. This study is one of the few that offers new insights into the process of resettlement of prisoners with substance abuse issues in Norway. The study examines the experiences of prisoners (n = 9) and frontline workers (n = 9) with the support provided by welfare services during the resettlement process – within the framework of wicked problems. The previously published two substudies utilizes qualitative methods. In the present study the two substudies are used to illustrate central features of wicked problems. Prisoners find themselves in complex and unpredictable life situastions, encountering a variety of challenges during their resettlement. These challenges can be defined in multiple ways and requires involvement from several different professions. Findings are analyzed and discussed within the framework of wicked problems theory. Additionally, the paper discusses three different strategies for welfare agencies to address the challenges that prisoners face during the resettlement process. Keywords: Resettlement; prisoners; frontline workers; wicked problems.

• Sæbjørnsen, Siv Elin Nord; Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil & Ødegård, Atle (2023). The Responsibility Team—A Way to Ensure Children’s Right to Participation? The British Journal of Social Work. ISSN 0045-3102. 53(6), p. 3015–3033. doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad111. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Children’s effective participation seems to be difficult to achieve in practice. Although the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child came into force in 1989, recent research reports that effective participation rarely occurs. This qualitative study explores a group of adolescents’ views on participating in child welfare ‘responsibility teams’ (RTs) in Norway. The two specific foci are experiences regarding influence on their own situation and how the RT model may be a useful way to ensure children’s right to participate. The study concludes that RT alone cannot ensure children’s right to participate in the form of effective participation and that professional competencies are also important. The study calls for further research, especially on children and adolescents’ own experiences with RTs. Keywords: children’s participation, children’s rights, collaboration, responsibility team

• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Dale, Karl Yngvar & Ødegård, Atle (2021). Interprofessional collaboration in reintegration after prison for prisoners with substance abuse issues : a scoping review. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy. ISSN 2202-7998. 10(2), p. 1–17. doi: 10.5204/ijcjsd.1951. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Reintegration after prison for prisoners with interlinked welfare needs has been one of the most challenging issues for decades in the criminal justice system. The WHO and the UN highlight the demand for well-functioning collaboration between professionals and welfare agencies handling these challenges. However, interprofessional collaboration has been an underdeveloped field of research and theory, especially concerning prisoners with substance abuse issues. The present study undertakes a scoping review of research on interprofessional collaboration in reintegration after prison for prisoners with substance abuse issues, particularly identifying factors that influence collaboration. Nineteen included studies from the USA, the U.K., Australia, and Norway show that relational and structural factors influence collaboration and that innovative projects are perceived as improving collaboration. A tentative conceptual model of factors that influence collaboration is presented and may serve as a basis for reflection and further development of a theoretical framework within the field of research. Keywords: interprofessional collaboration, prisoners, prison, reintegration, scoping review

• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Hean, Sarah Catherine Patricia Duff & Ødegård, Atle (2021). Exploring Norwegian prison frontline workers’ perceptions of interprofessional collaboration – a pilot study. International Journal of Prisoner Health. ISSN 1744-9200. 18(4), p. 429–442. doi: 10.1108/IJPH-08-2021-0084. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose: Interprofessional collaboration is necessary for handling the complex psychosocial needs of prisoners. This collaboration must be addressed to avoid high recidivism rates and the human and societal costs linked to them. Challenges are exacerbated by a linear approach to handling prisoners’ problems, silo working between welfare agencies and professional boundaries between frontline workers. There are few adequate theoretical frameworks and tools to address these challenges in the prison context. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions that frontline staff working in Norwegian prison facilities have regarding interprofessional collaboration in providing mental health services for prisoners. Design/methodology/approach: This study had a non-experimental, cross-sectional design to explore perceptions of interprofessional collaboration in a prison context. Descriptive and multifactorial analyses (exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis) were used to explore the data. Findings: The analysis showed that three factors, communication, organizational culture and domain, explained 95% of the variance. Results are discussed using relational coordination, as well as the conceptual PINCOM model, as a theoretical framework. Originality/value: Few studies explicitly explore collaboration between professionals in mental health and prison services despite its being a prerequisite to achieving sufficient services for prisoners. To our knowledge, this current study is one of the first in Norway to explore collaboration in a prison context by analysing quantitative data and focusing on frontline workers perception of the phenomenon. Keywords: interprofessional collaboration, Norwegian prisons, relational coordination, PINCOM-Q, forntline workers

• Sæbjørnsen, Siv Elin Nord; Hean, Sarah Catherine Patricia Duff; Røvik, Kristin; Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil & Ødegård, Atle (2021). Do we need the users voice : An empirical research example comparing views of service providers and ex-prisoners : Implications for practice. In Hean, Sarah Catherine Patricia Duff; Johnsen, Berit; Kloetzer, Laure & Kajamaa, Anu (Ed.), Improving interagency collaboration, innovation and learning in criminal justice systems. Supporting offender rehabilitation. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783030706616. p. 375–399. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-70661-6_15. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  User involvement in service development is seen as important to the credibility of these interventions but involving prisoners or ex-prisoners in this process can be problematic because of the vulnerability of this group as well as security issues. Questions arise as whether front line workers can instead reflect the perspectives of their clients accurately during service development events. Further, we query whether an alignment of perspectives is important for effective professional-prisoner relationships and offender self-efficacy when engaging in rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. To explore these questions, this chapter, in a case study third sector mentorship organisation, compares and contrasts the views of ex-prisoners and their mentors. Q methodology is employed to make this comparison. We find that mentors perspectives are most in tune with the most pessimistic perspectives of their clients: the most lonely, indigent and ill group of the exoffenders they work with. They do not share the optimistic views that characterise other groups of offenders in receipt of their service. The chapter explores the implications of these different views for exoffenders, their mentors and the participation of the offender in service innovation.

• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil & Hean, Sarah Catherine Patricia Duff (2021). The significance of interprofessional and interagency collaboration in reintegration after prison : a qualitative study exploring Norwegian frontline workers’ views. Journal of Comparative Social Work. 16(1), p. 109–134. doi: 10.31265/jcsw.v16i1.366. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The Norwegian Correctional Service is well known for its focus on rehabilitation and the humane treatment of offenders. However, welfare issues and comorbidity are overrepresented among offenders, and recidivism ratesremain unacceptably high. Mental health problems, substance abuse and a lack of housing suggest that offenders need support from a range of services in their reintegration processes. This calls for collaboration between frontline workers, welfare agenciesand non-governmental organizations, especially in the transition from prison back into society.In the present study, we aim to explore frontline workers’ views of interprofessional and interagency collaboration among frontline workers working with offenders suffering from substance abuse issues in their reintegration after prison.Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine frontline workers employed in welfare agencies and the correctional service, with workers directly engaged in supporting offenders ́ reintegration after prison.Findings suggest that interprofessional collaboration is perceived as multifaceted. The participants in the study perceived the welfare needs of offenders as complex, and the transition phase from prison as particularly vulnerable. Finally, findings suggest that frontline workers’ individual values and engagement in the work, as well as a lack of shared knowledge and shared information among frontline workers, are perceived as important factors in how collaboration processes unfold.We further argue that there is a need for additional knowledge, such as theoretical frameworks and conceptual models, to increase the understanding of interprofessional collaboration in the interface between prison and welfare services. We discuss substance abusers’ transition from prison into society and interprofessional collaboration in this context, using relational coordination as a theoretical framework.This study shows that relational coordination contributes to a greater understanding of interprofessional collaboration in the prison-welfare context, but an understanding of this phenomenon may be further developed by expanding the theory of relational Journal of Comparative Social Work 2021/1111collaboration, and by using other relevant theories and models. New insights are presented and illustrated, combining the theoretical and practical aspects of interprofessional collaboration. Keywords:interprofessional collaboration, relational coordination, offenders, substance abuse, reintegration, frontline workers

• Hean, Sarah; Lahtinen, Paivikki; Dugdale, William; Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil & Kajamaa, Anu (2020). The Change laboratory as a tool for collaboration and social innovation. In Willumsen, Elisabeth & Ødegård, Atle (Ed.), Samskaping : sosial innovasjon for helse og velferd. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215034089. p. 207–221. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Hean, Sarah & Ødegård, Atle (2019). A conceptual model on reintegration after prison in Norway. International Journal of Prisoner Health. ISSN 1744-9200. 15(3), p. 282–292. doi: 10.1108/IJPH-06-2018-0032. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose: Many offenders struggle when attempting to reintegrate into society after release from prison, and the conditions they face after release often lead to reoffending. The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual model on reintegration after prison. The model has the potential to guide practitioners in their understanding of the relationships between welfare services and the agency of the offender. Design/methodology/approach: The model was developed from a small-scale study in the Norwegian Criminal Justice system, which is well known for its emphasis on rehabilitation and crime prevention. Data collection aimed to explore the reintegration process from the perspective of the hard-to-reach and vulnerable population of serial offenders. Nine prisoners in two different prisons were interviewed. A thematic analysis identified two main themes that related, first, to the personal challenges the offenders faced in the rehabilitation and reintegration process and, second, to the factors in the welfare services that interacted with the prisoners’ psychosocial issues in the reintegration process. Findings: Findings suggest that the interaction between the psychosocial needs of the prisoners and the organization of the welfare services is complex and does not harmonize. The findings underpin the argument that the current reintegration strategies for certain groups of inmates need to be questioned and challenged. Research limitations/implications: The model is a conceptual model intended to provide a lens from which to reinterpret offenders’ experiences of reintegration and applied to only the small and exploratory study described in this paper. As such, it requires further testing and substantiation, and the model and the study’s findings should be regarded as tentative and cannot be generalized to a larger population. The prisoners were selected by the first author for convenience, and it is possible that this also influenced the findings. Other inmates may have presented other experiences. Originality/value: There are few studies looking into reintegration from the reoffenders’ perspective, and this study also presents a model that serves as a reflective and analytical tool to developing new approaches to supporting offenders in their reintegration into society from prison in the future. Keywords: conceptual model, reintegration, nterprofessional collaboration, reoffenders, social innovation, welfare services

View all works in NVA

• Jensen, Vilde Sund; Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Ødegård, Atle & Trana, Kristin (2026). Interprofessional Collaboration in Youth Flexible ACT. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Sæbjørnsen, Siv Elin Nord & Ødegård, Atle (2026). Support within Sanction: Street-Level Practices in the Norwegian Drug Court Program (ND). doi: https:/www.cubb.aau.dk/6th-street-level-bureaucracy-conference-e156039. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Ødegård, Atle & Bliksvær, Trond (2025). Foyer-modellen med Trond Bliksvær. doi: https:/www.himolde.no/podkast/tverrsnakk. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Ødegård, Atle & Iversen, Hans Petter (2025). Mer kompleksitetstenkning med Hans Petter Iversen. doi: https:/www.himolde.no/podkast/tverrsnakk. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Ødegård, Atle & Iversen, Hans Petter (2025). Kompleksitetstenkning med Hans Petter Iversen. doi: https:/www.himolde.no/podkast/tverrsnakk. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil & Ødegård, Atle (2025). Pilot - Samarbeidsfenomenet. doi: https:/www.himolde.no/podkast/tverrsnakk. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil & Ødegård, Atle (2025). Tverrsnakk. doi: https:/www.himolde.no/podkast/tverrsnakk. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2023). Samarbeid om å håndtere gjenstridige problem. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Hean, Sarah Catherine Patricia Duff & Ødegård, Atle (2023). Exploring interprofessional collaboration within drug courts in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2023). Hvilke faktorer har betydning for å lykkes med tverrprofesjonelt samarbeid? Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2023). Tverrprofesjonelt samarbeid i overgangen fra fengsel til samfunn med fokus på innsatte med intellektuell funksjonsnedsettelse og rusproblemer. Full text in Research Archive
• Hean, Sarah Catherine Patricia Duff; Johnsen, Berit & Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2023). A taste of COLABboration and Innovation in Criminal Justice. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2023). Exploring perception of prisoners convicted of sexual crimes among students within the field of criminal justice in Norway - preliminary findings. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2022). Umedgjørlige problemer og tverrprofesjonelt samarbeid. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Ødegård, Atle & Hilde, Pape (2022). Exploring perceptions towards persons convicted of sexual crimes among students within the field of criminal justice, health care, and social work in Norway. Forensic Science International: Mind and Law. ISSN 2666-3538. 3, p. 4–4. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Gradovski, Mikhail; Øndes, Salim Josef & Kajamaa, Anu (2022). Mind the gap : interprofessional collaboration for reintegration after prison. Podcast: Better together : improving interagency collaboration, innovation and learning. [Internet]. Spotify. Full text in Research Archive
• ., L. Gonçalves; Dirkzwager, A.; Andres-Pueyo, A.; Appleton, Catherine Amelia; Blanc, J-S. & Brosens, D. [Show all 37 contributors for this article] (2022). Prison-related research in Europe: Annual meeting of the Prison Working Group of the European Society of Criminology, 21-22 April, Geneva. Forensic Science International: Mind and Law. ISSN 2666-3538. 3. doi: 10.1016/j.fsiml.2022.100079. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2022). Exploring attitudes towards persons convicted of sexual crimes, among students within the field of criminal justice, health care, and social work in Norway - A pilot study. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2022). Exploring reintegration after prison in Norway. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The life situation of prisoners with drug abuse issues is complex, and they need multiple welfare services when they are released from prison. Furthermore, the reintegration process in the community after prison is a vulnerable period both for this group of prisoners and the agencies providing welfare services to them. Interlinked welfare issues among prisoners with comorbid challenges, such as drug abuse and mental health, can be viewed as wicked problems. The theory of wicked problems has, during the last decades, been adopted and used in several contexts and tested in empirical studies on subjects ranging from public policy, management, and organizational theory to child poverty and climate change. In this current study, in-depth interviews of 9 reoffenders from various prisons and 9 frontline workers from different welfare agencies in Norway was conducted. Findings suggest that interactions between welfare services and prisoners’ psychosocial needs in reintegration after prison is complex and multifaceted, and the welfare needs of the prisoners and services provided from welfare agencies does often not match.

• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2021). De moderne spedalske og det umedgjørlige rusmisbruket. p. 44–45. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2021). De moderne spedalske og det umedgjørlige rusmisbruket. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2021). Exploring interprofessional collaboration after prison in Norway - a mixed methods study. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study explores the phenomenon of interprofessional collaboration during the reintegration process focusing on offenders with substance abuse and mental health issues in Norway. The aim of the study is to contribute to the development of conceptual models and a theoretical framework on interprofessional collaboration in reintegration after prison. Data includes (1) In-depth interviews with nine offenders in Norway, (2) a scoping review of international empirical studies, (3) in-depth interviews with nine frontline workers in Norway and (4) a factor analysis of a questionnaire from 160 frontline workers working in prisons in Norway. Findings show that interaction between welfare services and offenders psychosocial needs in reintegration after prison is complex and multifacetted. In international research, interprofessional collaboration is viewed as a prerequisite to meet these needs, but the amount of research describing which factors influence this collaboration and implicitly welfare service provided to offenders in reintegration after prison is highly limited. Findings also suggest that there is a broad spectrum of aspects at the individual and organisational level perceived as influencing interprofessional collaboration in the reintegration process of offenders. Communication, domain and organizational culture are some of the aspects perceived as important.

• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2021). Ansvarsgruppen – over 30 år med skiftende arbeidsvilkår. Fontene. ISSN 0805-5432. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Sæbjørnsen, Siv Elin Nord & Ødegård, Atle (2019). Er ansvarsgruppen en god løsning? p. 23–23. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil; Dale, Karl Yngvar & Ødegård, Atle (2019). Exploring interprofessional collaboration in the transition from prison to community for male adult offenders with substance abuse issues : a scoping review. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Offenders with substance abuse issues has interlinked challenges including lack of housing, loss of social network, high recidivism rates and mental health issues facing their release from prison. Reintegration after prison for offenders with complex psycho-social needs has been one of the most challenging issues for decades within the criminal justice system. Academics, practitioners and policymakers are urging for a more effective approach. Internationally, large groups of offenders are struggling with substance abuse issues. Complex social needs demand a broad range of services from welfare agencies and well-functioning collaboration between professionals. Interprofessional collaboration has been underdeveloped as a field of research and theory. In this scoping review we aimed to present an overview of empirical studies on interprofessional collaboration in the transition phase from prison to community for male offenders with drug abuse issues. Results show a gap in empirical based knowledge in this area. Research has highlighted the need for interprofessional collaboration but does not delve enough into how interprofessional collaboration is organized or the effect of it. Eight included empirical studies show that unclear distribution of responsibility, resource limitations, logistical issues and attitudes towards the offenders’ challenge interprofessional collaboration, while social innovation are perceived as improving collaboration. This scoping review contributes with knowledge and inspiration in a clearly underdeveloped, but highly important, field of research.

• Nesset, Kjersti Sæve & Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2025). Sammen tilbake. Om tilbakeføringsarbeid i et samfunnsplanleggingsperspektiv. Høgskulen i Volda. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan teori om samarbeidsdrevet planlegging kan bidra til å styrke tilbakeføringsarbeidet i kriminalomsorgen. Tilbakeføringsarbeid er et kriminalitetsforebyggende tiltak som skal sikre at innsatte får tilgang til nødvendige tjenester under og etter straffegjennomføring, med mål om å redusere tilbakefall til ny kriminalitet. Arbeidet er komplekst, tverrsektorielt og preget av samordningsutfordringer. Gjennom en kvalitativ dokumentanalyse av tre sentrale politiske dokumenter – St.meld. nr. 37 (2007–2008), Nasjonal strategi for samordnet tilbakeføring (2017–2021) og Riksrevisjonens rapport (2022) – identifiseres et tydelig gap mellom politiske ambisjoner og faktisk praksis. Analysen er forankret i hermeneutisk vitenskapsteori og benytter idéanalyse som metode. Teori om samarbeidsdrevet planlegging og begrepet wicked problems danner det teoretiske rammeverket, med særlig vekt på Roar Amdams ISTOL-modell. Funnene viser at tilbakeføringsarbeidet preges av glippsoner – samordningssvikt i overgangen mellom fengsel og samfunn – som undergraver innsattes rettigheter og samfunnets mål om kriminalitetsforebygging. Glippsonene skyldes blant annet ulik styringslogikk mellom sektorer, manglende relasjonell infrastruktur og fravær av læringsbaserte prosesser. Samarbeidsdrevet planlegging fremstår som et egnet rammeverk for å møte disse utfordringene, ved å fremme dialog, felles forståelse og legitimitet i planleggingen. Oppgaven konkluderer med at teori om samarbeidsdrevet planlegging kan bidra til å styrke tilbakeføringsarbeidet ved å tilby en helhetlig og fleksibel tilnærming til planlegging og iverksetting i møte med komplekse samfunnsutfordringer. Det gis konkrete anbefalinger for styrket tverrsektorielt samarbeid, brukermedvirkning og utvikling av spesialiserte tjenester etter løslatelse.

• Omenås, Anniken Ranheim & Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2025). Når systemet glipper - En kvalitativ studie av foreldres opplevelse av tverrprofesjonelt samarbeid rundt barn med autisme. Høgskolen i Molde - Vitenskapelig høgskole i logistikk. Full text in Research Archive
• Larsen, Bjørn Kjetil (2022). Exploring interprofessional collaboration in the field of criminal justice in Norway : a mixed methods study of prisoners' reintegration after prison. Høgskolen i Molde - Vitenskapelig høgskole i logistikk og Høgskulen i Volda. ISSN 9788279623168. Full text in Research Archive

View all works in NVA