Social and Educational Work in Penal Institutions as an Instrument of Resocialization of Prisoners and Prevention of Recidivism

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of social and educational work in the process of resocialization of convicts and prevention of an increase in the level of recidivism in Ukraine. The authors emphasize that despite significant legislative changes and the implementation of state programs in the field of probation, the rates of repeated criminal offenses remain high, which indicates the need to improve existing mechanisms of influence on offenders. The study highlights the importance of professional training of the staff of the State Penitentiary Service, which can ensure the effective implementation of programs and measures of resocialization in an environment dominated by a criminal subculture. The number of crimes committed by people who previously committed crimes for the period from 2001 to 2024 is analyzed, and external factors that have influenced the decrease in the number of crimes committed by persons who previously committed criminal offenses over the past decades are also identified. Information is provided on the content, forms and methods of socio-educational work, in particular individual and group approaches. An explanation is provided that the effectiveness of such activities depends on the level of development of professional competencies, psychological preparedness and motivational component of the staff of penal institutions. The need for interdisciplinary interaction of specialists from different spheres of social life is emphasized to create a comprehensive impact on achieving positive internal changes in the behavior and values of the convict. It is revealed that it is the systematicity and professionalism in the implementation of socio-educational measures that ensure a gradual transition from externally motivated to internally conscious behavior, contributing to the formation of a complex of socially acceptable values and social responsibility. As a result, it is determined that the modernization of socio-educational activities within the framework of reforming the penal system of Ukraine is a necessary condition for the humanization of the execution of sentences, increasing the effectiveness of resocialization and strengthening public security. The results of the analysis can be used to improve the professional training of penitentiary system employees, develop resocialization programs for various categories of convicts, and form a modern policy to combat recidivism.