Socio-Psychological Readiness of Convicts for Release

Abstract

The social institutions of punishment and release have been studied. The essence of the release as the process of completing the influence on the convicted person with the purpose of his return to social and normative life in society has been revealed. The spectrum of problems of preparing convicts for the release has been outlined. The authors have specified the weaknesses of the current state program for preparing convicts for the release.

In order to reveal the peculiarities of the indicators of socio-psychological readiness of convicts for the release (cognition, emotion, reflection) and to identify the specifics of their tendencies towards further self-directed obedient behavior after being released, the authors have presented generalized results of the empirical study carried out with the help of the authors’ questionnaire “Socio-psychological readiness of convicts for the release”. The research was implemented on the basis of state institutions of the penal system, namely, in the correctional colonies of the Central-West Interregional Department for the execution of criminal penalties and probation of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. 118 male respondents aged 20 to 55 years sentenced under the Articles 121, 122, 115, 185, 186, 187, 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, who had less than 6 months left before the release, participated in the study.

The authors have emphasized on the expediency of developing a program for preparing convicts for the release, taking into account indicators of socio-psychological readiness, and on the objective need for professional training of personnel of penitentiary agencies and institutions that will carry out socio-psychological support of convicts who have less than 6 months left until their release.