Slovenian contribution to European penology and beyondHacin, Rok (Avtor) Meško, Gorazd (Avtor) research reviewpenal policysocial climatelegitimacySloveniaThe paper focuses on Slovenian penological research spanning since the 1950s and comprising over 100 studies, as well as its contribution to the field of penology in Europe and beyond. Three fields of research stand out for their depth and overall contribution to penological knowledge: measuring the social climate in Slovenian prisons, developing Slovenian penal policy, and researching legitimacy and relations in correctional institutions. Studies on social climate began in the 1980s and were periodically conducted, making them among the longest-lasting and most comprehensive (comparative) penological studies. Trends in punishment exposed the exceptionalism of Slovenian penal policy and practice, characterised by its moderation and resocialisation-oriented approach. Finally, more recent studies on legitimacy in prisons have used a comparative, comprehensive, and mixed-methods approach, yielding significant empirical evidence that supports the dynamic nature of legitimacy in prisons and challenges existing theoretical premises. In the concluding part of the paper, the position of Slovenia within the wider European penology is discussed, and future challenges are highlighted.20262026-07-02 09:58:07Znanstveno delo98709UDK: 343.8COBISS_ID: 283357187DOI: 10.1080/30679125.2026.2696963ISSN pri članku: 3067-9125sl