More than a physical transition

Transitional movements from conventional prison wings to Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Therapeutic Communities (TCs) in prison are unique experiences with complex motivational drivers and heightened susceptibility to sensory and emotional overloads. This critical transition is more than a physical shift in living conditions but also a reconstruction of identity and a stark, extreme and powerful community driven transformation that needs understanding in more depth, especially from a sensory perspective. Unwritten prison codes shape sensory input and output on mainstream wings, meaning transitions to TCs are complex as there may be modified sensory codes that are deeply ingrained, rooted in prison culture and therefore need unlocking through the `community as method` philosophy advocated by TCs. This study will explore this transformative process using a framework of liminality which offers detailed insights into detachment, ambiguous states and newfound identities. Post detoxification sensory states also add to this powerful transformative process as the individual is exposed to a new sensory world that may illicit a catalogue of raw emotional states, triggering a host of new challenges. This article incorporates a mixed approach of literature-based discussions and reflective accounts to understanding the sensory impact of moving to a TC as the author has a history of SUDs, incarceration and TCs in the local community.