Functions of social work in penitentiary institutions. Principles, functions and methods of activity of a social worker in penitentiary institutions. Psychological aspects of social work in penitentiary institutions

(KPV)"

Faculty of Pedagogy

Specialty – Social work

Semester – 8

Group 340

Department of Pedagogy

THEMATIC PLAN

	SECTION NAME	Number of hours

	Characteristics of the modern Russian penitentiary system
	Rationale for the activities of social workers in the penitentiary sector
	Principles of activity of a social worker in the penitentiary sphere
	Functions of a social worker in penitentiary institutions of the Russian Federation. Specific functions of social work in relation to certain categories of convicts.
	Legal aspect of social work in penitentiary institutions
	Psychological aspects of social work in penitentiary institutions. Main directions of psychological penitentiary social work.
	Basic methods and techniques for the activities of a social worker within the penitentiary system of the Russian Federation. Ethical provisions for the activities of a social worker in institutions of the penitentiary system.

Characteristics of modernRussian penitentiary system

The formation of the penitentiary system: origins, carceral system, correctional system.

Types of correctional institutions [Art. 74 of the Penal Code of the Russian Federation]: correctional and educational colonies, prisons, medical correctional institutions and pre-trial detention centers performing the functions of correctional institutions in relation to some convicts. Correctional institutions are state bodies included in the penitentiary system, which are entrusted with the execution of imprisonment for a certain period and life imprisonment in order to correct convicts and prevent new crimes on their part, as well as ensuring law and order and legality in their activities, the safety of convicts and personnel, officials, attracting convicts to work, organizing their general and vocational education, ensuring the health of convicts.

Correctional colonies are intended for convicts who have reached the age of majority to serve imprisonment. They are divided into general regime colonies, where those convicted for the first time for non-serious crimes are kept, strict regime colonies, where those convicted of especially dangerous crimes are kept, and special regime colonies, where especially dangerous repeat offenders are kept, and for which the death penalty is replaced by life imprisonment. In colony settlements, those sentenced to imprisonment for crimes committed through negligence, as well as convicts transferred from general and strict regime correctional colonies, serve their sentences. Those sentenced to a term of more than five years for committing especially serious crimes, with especially dangerous recidivism of crimes, as well as convicts who are malicious violators of the established procedure for serving their sentences and transferred from the penal colony are serving their sentences in prisons.

Convicted minors, as well as convicts left in educational colonies until they reach the age of 21, serve their sentences in educational labor colonies. According to Part 6 of Art. 88 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, male minors sentenced to imprisonment, as well as female minors, serve their sentences in general regime educational colonies, male minors previously serving imprisonment - in reinforced regime colonies.

Rationale for the activities of social workers in the penitentiary sector

Models of theoretical substantiation of the practice of social work in society: psychologically-oriented, sociologically-oriented, complex-oriented. Systems of relationships between society and offenders, philosophy of assistance in relation to this category of the population. A comprehensive model of assistance to persons in the penitentiary system. The purpose of the social worker's activity. Features of the activities of a social worker in the penitentiary system. Prospects for the development of social work in the penitentiary sector in our country.

Principles of activity of a social worker in the penitentiary sphere

Principles of social work as elements of scientific theory and fundamental rules of empirical activity. Classification of principles: general philosophical, general scientific (organizational and activity-based, socio-political, psychological and pedagogical, etc.) and specific principles of social work. Specific principles of social work: the principle of universality, the principle of protecting social rights, the principle of prevention, the principle of social response, the principle of client-centrism, the principle of self-reliance, the principle of maximizing social resources, the principle of confidentiality and tolerance. Specific principles of social work in the penitentiary system: humanism, legality and justice.

Functions of a social worker in penitentiary institutions of the Russian Federation

Functions of social workers: legal assistance and support for convicts; psychological and pedagogical diagnostics of the personality of the convicted person; development, together with the administration of correctional institutions, of programs for socio-psychological and professional rehabilitation of convicts; adaptation of convicts to the environment of correctional institutions. Responsibilities of a social worker in an institution of the penitentiary system: together with convicts and administrative staff, draw up a plan for training and work during the period of imprisonment; to help convicts overcome the psychological crisis due to their being under arrest; assist in their adaptation to the ITU environment; help organize free time and continue studying; protect and ensure that the rights of convicted persons are not violated; provide advice to the prisoner’s relatives in solving problems related to his deprivation of liberty; assist the prisoner in regulating financial issues; prepare the prisoner for release, including, if possible, finding him housing and work; regulate the relationship between convicts and staff, because often correctional institution employees treat convicts as hopelessly incorrigible, which serves as fertile ground for arbitrary government.

Specific functions and their implementation in relation to convicted disabled people, minors, the elderly, young mothers and pregnant women, women who gave birth in prison.

Legal aspect of social work in penitentiary institutions.

Federal Law “On institutions and bodies executing criminal penalties in the form of imprisonment”, “On introducing amendments and additions to the Correctional Labor Code of the RSFSR, the Criminal Code of the RSFSR, the Criminal Procedure Code of the RSFSR”, etc.).

Legal support and provision for convicted persons.

Realization of the rights of convicts: material and living support for those sentenced to imprisonment; communication with family, assistance in preparing for release from places of deprivation of liberty, employment, cooperation with religious organizations, compliance with the working conditions of convicts and obtaining primary vocational education or vocational training for convicts who do not have any specialty; the right to paid leave, temporary disability benefits, benefits provided to women and youth, including those related to training, etc. etc., state social insurance; medical support for convicts.

Psychological aspects of social work in penitentiary institutions.

Characteristics of psychological problems of persons serving sentences: a feeling of psychological discomfort, a sense of injustice committed, one’s own inferiority, suspiciousness, anxiety, suspicion, fear of the unknown, persistent and pronounced mental stress, mental disorders, irreversible changes in the human psyche. Psychological methods of activity of a social worker in an institution of the penitentiary system. Areas of psychological work of social workers: adaptation of the individual in prison, formation of the maximum possible active life position, clarification of rights and responsibilities, preparation of convicts for release, and stimulating those who are imprisoned for life or for a long term to be active, “normal”, an adequate view of the world; drawing up a program of psychological auto-training. Basic approaches and principles of psychological work with convicts: individualization, complexity or systematicity. The main directions of psychological penitentiary social work: studying the personality of the convict and the formation of his “criminal career”; development of individual programs of influence and assistance to convicts; socio-psychological assistance in adaptation to the environment of correctional labor institutions; socio-psychological and professional assistance in preparing to leave prison.

Basic methods and techniques of social work within the penitentiary system of the Russian Federation

Crime surveillance methods (). An interview as a research tool is a systematic activity with scientific goals in the course of which the interviewee is encouraged, through a series of scientific questions, to report verbal information.” Comparative method. Foreign methods of social work with convicts: a model or method of justice, a method of educational influence, including various models: community and group therapy, transactional analysis, exposure to the reality of the surrounding world, behavior modification.

The method of “expanding positive social connections and relations of the subject” (V. N Kudryavtsev). The expansion of positive connections is carried out through: introducing the convicted person to fiction, music, art, sports, and amateur performances; familiarizing him with the positive traditions of other people’s activities; providing him with the opportunity to master the relevant specialty; involving the convicted person in social activities.

The method of progressive execution of punishment consists of a set of legal, organizational and educational means that ensure a gradual mitigation of the sentence of the convicted person as the degree of his correction increases.

Correction is the formation of a stable individual’s readiness to lead a law-abiding lifestyle.

Method of psychological correction of the personality of a convicted person. Psychocorrection sees its main goal as a sustainable change in certain psychological properties of the individual that determine the meaningful aspects of the social behavior of the convicted person.

Directions of penitentiary psychological activity of a social worker: provision of psychological assistance in the traditional sense (diagnostic counseling and preventive measures); improving the psychological state of convicts for the purpose of destructive conflicts and negative perception of correctional influences; carrying out corrective psychological correction of the convicted person.

Psychological methodology “Psychological correction in correctional labor institutions”, developed by the Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

Educational and methodological support of the course:

Main:

1. Kravchenko's work. – M.: Prospekt, 2008. – 413 p.

3. Pavlenok, history and methods of social work: Textbook /. – 9th ed., rev. and additional – M.: Publishing and trading corporation “Dashkov and K”, 2010. – 568 p.

4. Firsov of social work / . – M.: Academic Project, 2007. – 432 p.

Additional:

1. Alferov sociology and re-education of convicts /. Domodedovo: RIKK of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, 1994.– 205 p.

2. and others. Toolkit of a penitentiary psychologist /. Ufa, 1997. – 168 p.

3. Belyaev for juvenile offenders in Russia /. Belgorod: “Higher School”. 1998. – 135 p.

4. Hawk Moth right /. - M.: Norma, 1994. – 176 p.

5. Eremeeva social work with various population groups /. – Blagoveshchensk, 2002. – 27 s.

6. Zainysheva of social work: Textbook. aid for students Higher educational institutions / Ed. – M.: Humanite. ed. VLADOS Center, 2002 – 240 p.

7. Zubarev and the practice of monitoring the activities of personnel of the penitentiary system/, Moscow, 2006. – 51

8. Instructions on the organization of educational work with convicts in educational colonies of the penal system of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. Approved by order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation dated January 1, 2001 No. 77

9. Instructions on the organization and implementation by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation of departmental control over the observance of human rights in institutions and territorial bodies of the penal system dated 01.01.01 N 16. – 5 p.

10. Kataeva’s work in a microdistrict with teenagers prone to delinquency /, Kirov: “Vyat-slovo”, 1997. – 166 p.

11. Concept of the target program “Development of the penal system (2007 – 2016)” dated June 7, 2006 N 839-r

12. Mokretsov conflict situations among convicts. Toolkit/. – M.: FSIN of Russia, FGU Scientific Research Institute of the FSIN of Russia, 2006. – 75 p.

13. Moral, legal and labor education of convicts held in educational colonies: Educational and methodological material /, S..A. Semenova, G.V. Stroeva; edited by Doctor of Law. – M.: Research Institute of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, 2005 – 32 p.

14. Human saber: Textbook /. – Orenburg: OSU, 200 p.

15. Social work: Textbook / edited by. ed. prof. . – 2nd ed., revised. and additional – Rostov n/d: Phoenix, 2003. – 480 p.

16. Filipov penitentiary system: materials of the international conference /. Minsk, 1998. – 108 s.

17. , Studenova of social work: Textbook for universities. Ed. 2nd add. and corr. M.: Academic project, 2007. – 512 p.

18. Idle work: theory and practice: Proc. allowance/. – M.: INFRA – M, 2004. – 427 p.

19. Shchepkina - organizational foundations for the education of convicts /. Blagoveshchensk: Amur State. University, 2006. – 190 s.

In theory, it is customary to distinguish two main aspects of social work in the penitentiary sphere: the legal and psychological aspects. Let's look at each of them.

One of the functions of a social worker in the penitentiary sphere is legal support and provision for convicts. Over the years of the existence of the Soviet penitentiary system, the staff and administration of correctional institutions have created stereotypes regarding convicts in accordance with which convicts do not have any rights. Often the rights of convicts were violated contrary to existing legislation, very often prisoners were used as free labor, but the labor of prisoners is not an end in itself. He must only prepare him for life after release, and this is only possible when prison enterprises are equipped like ordinary ones. For labor is not a punishment or a means of reducing the costs of maintaining convicts, but an exceptional factor in the resocialization of convicts. Education through labor only presupposes accustoming one to work, but one must remember that labor is always less effective than education; this is evidenced by practical penitentiary experience. Based on research into the practice of applying punishment in the US federal system, American scientist Daniel Glaser found that long-term education reduces recidivism. Therefore, it is necessary to use educational means and methods in the re-education of convicts.”

Everywhere in the Russian penitentiary system, sanitary and hygienic standards for the accommodation of convicts are not observed. So, according to the results of these public organizations as of January 1, 1998. in pre-trial detention centers there were 58.8% more people than were required according to the state standard. And also 18-20 sq. m. for 38 people, that is, 0.4 sq. m. m. per person.”

The widespread use of repression is largely due to the formation among the population of a unique sense of justice associated with the application of the most severe measures to the convicted person.

This state of affairs is unacceptable; it is necessary to regulate the legal relations between convicts and society. After all, a person is punished by deprivation of freedom, and not by deprivation of conditions for a normal existence. At the same time, it cannot be said that no measures are being taken, especially at the legislative level. Many presidential decrees, government decrees and other legal acts were adopted to improve the situation of convicts. The concept of reorganizing the penal system has been approved, there is a program for the construction of prisons and pre-trial detention centers, but in reality the whole state of affairs is deeply different from what is legally established. Thus, in accordance with Article 51 of the Criminal Executive Code of the Russian Federation, material and living support for those sentenced to imprisonment is enshrined, which is a set of organizational measures carried out on the basis of the norms of criminal executive legislation aimed at creating conditions for ensuring the normal life of convicts while serving their sentences. The importance of material and living support for convicts is manifested in the fact that a well-established life contributes to a moral change in the personality of the convict, the consolidation of positive habits, and accustoms him to order and discipline. Material and household support includes the creation of appropriate housing and communal conditions, the organization of meals, clothing supplies and trade services. In correctional centers, the regulation of most of these areas of material and living support is carried out on the basis of the norms of the general legislation of the Russian Federation. Often, convicts cannot protect their rights in the field of material support, and here the help of a social worker is needed, who must monitor the implementation of basic norms of material, living and legal support and ensuring the rule of law in the execution of a sentence of imprisonment, in case of non-compliance with these norms, the social worker must report this to the relevant authorities and institutions.

Also, a social worker can communicate between the prisoner’s relatives and the prisoner, monitor the unimpeded sending of correspondence to the convicted person and himself, and help the convicted person in regulating financial issues and issues related to the religious belief of the convicted person. Moreover, it should be noted that the practice of religious worship is very important for many convicts, since every third of the total number of convicts considers themselves a believer. According to data from mid-1995. Among those convicted, Orthodox Christians accounted for 18,300 people, Baptists - 3,900, Muslims - 2,250 people. Thus, the penitentiary system of the Russian Federation contains approximately 34,000 believers (excluding convicts in prisons and colony settlements). The work of religious organizations, bringing people to faith, helps to improve relationships, strengthen discipline and order, expand contacts with the outside world, determine the possibility of repentance for what they have done, provide assistance in moral education, organization of everyday life and leisure, and employment. The activities of a social worker should be aimed at maximizing effective cooperation with religious organizations.

The responsibilities of social workers also include preparing a prisoner for release from prison, providing housing and work, (if possible) or registering with an employment center. The social worker must monitor the fulfillment of the working conditions of convicts and the receipt of primary vocational education or vocational training by convicts who do not have any specialty. The work of convicts is mainly regulated by Russian labor legislation. First of all, this is the labor code, according to which convicts, without any restrictions or exceptions, are subject to the norms of labor legislation regulating working hours and rest periods, labor standards, wages, guarantees and compensation, labor discipline and labor protection. In accordance with these norms, those sentenced to restriction of freedom have the right to paid leave, temporary disability benefits, benefits provided to women and youth, including those related to training, etc., those sentenced to restriction of freedom are covered by state social insurance.” . In accordance with these standards, a social worker is obliged to monitor the fulfillment of all these conditions in relation to the convicted person, as well as to monitor the implementation of the convicted person’s right to a pension for old age, disability, loss of a breadwinner and other cases specified by law. Without any discrimination in relation to convicts.

The functions of a social worker also include monitoring the medical care of convicts. As is known, in Russian penitentiary institutions there are a colossal number of patients with tuberculosis, scabies, sexually transmitted diseases, and the number of AIDS patients is constantly increasing. It is necessary to monitor cases of the disease and provide patients with the necessary conditions for treatment.

In accordance with the current legislation, which states: “Convicts serving restrictions on freedom are guaranteed the right to health care, including receiving medical care (Part 6 of Article 12 of the Penal Code). Treatment and preventive care for convicts is provided in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation of July 22, 1993. “On protecting the health of citizens.”

Social workers are also required to coordinate the activities of medical services, guide them, facilitate and organize various preventive measures

Thus, this aspect of the work of social workers involves them performing the functions of observers, controllers and social mediators.

In Russia, the experience of social work with prisoners is still in its infancy. The newly adopted Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which came into force on January 1, 1996, specifies three purposes of punishment:

Restoring social justice;

Correction of the convicted person;

Prevention of new crimes. In 1995, by order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, new internal regulations in pre-trial detention centers (SIZOs) were approved. In accordance with this document, the rights of prisoners were significantly expanded, for example, all restrictions on correspondence were abolished. Those in pre-trial detention centers also received permission to dispose of property, participate in civil transactions (wills, donations, transfer of property by proxy, etc.) and enter into marriages in pre-trial detention centers; paid services were introduced for prisoners in order to improve their living conditions.

In addition, new rules allow prisoners to participate in religious rites in specially equipped premises. In addition to the Russian Orthodox Church, representatives of other faiths are also active in Russian penitentiary institutions. Religious activity in penitentiary institutions is presented in three forms: in the form of religious activities, spiritual and educational work, as well as in the form of psychotherapeutic and psychocorrectional activities.

In accordance with correctional labor legislation, correctional labor colonies provide universal secondary education for youth convicts. Recently, study groups of higher educational institutions (correspondence and evening forms) have also opened in many ITKs. The opportunity to receive an education has an undoubted social significance for prisoners:

Their social status increases;

Prevents the intellectual and cultural degradation to which most prisoners are subject;

Opens up opportunities to realize the internal potentials of prisoners, promotes the development of skills in predicting their own behavior;

Helps to develop adequate self-esteem, etc. In the regulatory documents regulating the activities of institutions of the penitentiary system, there is no mention of social work as an independent type of activity, and the staffing table does not provide for the position of a social worker. However, social work as such is carried out by all employees of these institutions and is distinguished by specific features 6:

It is carried out in closed and isolated social institutions;

Its objects are persons with a high index of social disadvantage and increased stress;

It is carried out in an atmosphere of antagonism between opposing ethical and legal concepts, determined by the mentality of the “prison staff” and the mentality of the “prison world”;

It is inextricably linked with the execution of criminal punishment;

It does not stop with the end of execution of the sentence, since the former prisoner needs re-socialization and adaptation to the outside world;

A social worker (or an employee carrying out social work within a penitentiary institution) objectively occupies a special place, being not only a mediator between the authorities and the citizen, but also carrying out the mission of mediation between the philosophy of punishment and the philosophy of the criminal world that is hostile to it. It promotes the search for socially acceptable points of contact for both parties in these antagonistic relationships.

In accordance with the requirements of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, social workers are called upon to oppose cruel or degrading treatment of prisoners, to strive to improve the sanitary and hygienic conditions of their living, to take measures to protect their health, etc.

The main tasks of social workers when working with prisoners are: receiving and studying new arrivals, determining the causes of the offense and classifying the convicted person, monitoring, developing corrective measures, developing and strengthening socially useful connections between prisoners and the outside world, assisting in self-correction and preparing them for release and resocialization. The responsibility of the social worker is also to work with the families of prisoners, providing psychological assistance in preparing for a meeting with a family member who has served his prison term.

A social worker in a penitentiary institution is also called upon to promote the social and legal security of staff. His responsibilities include planning, modeling and forecasting the social development of the institution as a whole.

Social work as a type of activity has specific features that are of great importance for work in the penitentiary system. Among them are the ability to consider the client as part of the social system; emphasizing contacts with the client’s environment, with everyone who can help identify the problem and find its solution; organizing an integrated approach and coordinating the efforts of various specialists and services when working with a client; knowledge of society's capabilities in solving client problems. Of particular value is the method of working with clients, etc.

The goals of social work in the penitentiary system are primarily to provide assistance to prisoners:

In realizing the need to change your destiny. For this purpose, establishing fruitful and meaningful relationships with clients, conducting diagnostic training;

In the analysis of one’s illegal actions and needs;

In behavior correction, especially in connection with the problems of prison life;

In instilling behavioral skills in other life situations, for example, the ability to make responsible decisions;

In solving administrative and financial issues. Social work occupies a special place among other types of influence on prisoners. Article 6 of the Correctional Labor Code identifies five main areas of correction and re-education of prisoners 7:

The mode of serving a sentence is a system of legal restrictions and additional responsibilities assigned to the convicted person, which is aimed at achieving the goals of punishment;

Socially useful work - acts as a duty of a convicted person and a right of a person in custody;

Educational work: this includes cultural-educational, spiritual-educational work, as well as self-education;

General education training;

Professional training;

Operational activities - aimed at solving crimes committed and preventing impending crimes.

Each of these areas includes social work components. However, social work must also be considered as an independent area of activity, which is not a means of correction and re-education of prisoners, but ensures the successful development of these processes. Table 20 presents the main criteria for each of these areas.

Social therapy opens up the possibility of changing the work situation in prisons in order to bring job offers as close as possible to the interests of prisoners and make them more diverse. At the same time, work should not be considered as part of “employment therapy”, as a pastime or as a source of income for the institution, but as a learning situation for clients, aimed at preparing them for life outside the walls of the institution.

In Russian institutions of the penitentiary system, every convict is required to work. He can work both in state enterprises and in enterprises of any form, as well as engage in individual labor activities. The labor activity of convicts is subordinated not to the goals of making a profit, but to the goals of punishment<ст. 37 ИТК). Она регламентируется в соответствии с Законом «Об органах и учреждениях, исполняющих наказание...» (1993 г.).

In 1994, an agreement was concluded between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Federal Employment Service of the Russian Federation, according to which the Federal Labor Service of the Russian Federation is obliged to provide labor market institutions with data on the needs of the labor market, send information about employment opportunities for those released, take measures to organize training centers and points in labor market institutions, and help in work on professional orientation of convicts.

Particular attention should also be paid to the organization of free time for prisoners; it is necessary to create opportunities for awakening their own initiative, acquainting them with the reality of spending free time outside the walls of the institution, followed by discussion.

A particularly important task remains the development of personal responsibility of prisoners, primarily the skills of self-service, establishing contacts, the habit of honoring obligations, learning how to maintain accounts and money transactions. To do this, roles are distributed within established groups. In Denmark and Holland, the experience of self-service for prisoners united in groups of 10-12 people is common (maintaining a common cash register for making necessary purchases, cooking, washing, cleaning the premises, etc.). Self-care provides a strong foundation for developing personal responsibility.

The tasks of a social worker in penitentiary institutions also include helping to provide timely medical care to prisoners.

According to Western experts, “therapeuticization” of all activities of a penitentiary institution implies therapeutic penetration into all areas of the institution’s functioning in order to create natural forms of communication in situations as close as possible to ordinary life. Developing for this purpose the idea of relative openness of the institution and the inclusion of the outside world in its improvement, some scientists provide the following measures:

- “import” of specialists and possible services: inviting specialists who do not work directly in the legal system, for example, for consultations on legal issues, social insurance issues, regulation of monetary issues, for conducting special types of therapy. Such events have the advantage that prisoners meet not only with representatives of the justice system, but also with ordinary civilians and can communicate with them as ordinary citizens. This model should also encourage the development of self-service, with nearby stores providing their goods, bank employees or librarians offering their services, etc.;

- “export” of the institution’s services to society: for example, the provision of consulting services by the institution’s specialists to citizens of a nearby part of the city, provision of the institution’s premises (sports grounds, halls, swimming pools, etc.) for their use;

Holding events of a public nature in the institution, which can be attended by both the public and prisoners;

Organizing for prisoners the experience of reality outside the institution (the possibility of free exit and return), for example, work outside the institution, going out shopping, etc.;

Involvement of persons important for its successful implementation in the process of improving clients’ health;

Organizing meetings with the population, etc.

All these activities and forms of work involve, first of all, the establishment and development of socially useful connections between the prisoner and the outside world. All social connections that a prisoner maintains can be divided into socially beneficial, socially neutral and socially negative. When determining socially useful connections, the following criteria must be taken into account: the prisoner strives for their sustainability and stability, has certain hopes for their preservation and development in the future; these connections promote changes in the prisoner's personality and behavior that bring him closer to socially acceptable standards. Thus, socially useful connections have three features: the prisoner is their active subject; they are of great importance to the prisoner; they have a positive impact on the client himself. The object of socially useful connections can be family, relatives and friends, representatives of the former workforce, public organizations, authorities and self-government. The task of a social worker is to act as an active mediator and to contribute in every possible way to the development of socially useful connections of the prisoner.

All these forms of work are already represented in the activities of prison institutions abroad.

2.2 Principles, functions and methods of activity of a social worker in penitentiary institutions

The principle of legality in the activities of social workers in the penitentiary sphere has deep moral foundations. The social worker must help bring the convicted person to law-abiding behavior. The implementation of the principle of legality in the execution of criminal penalties is that: firstly, the legal status of convicts must be strictly observed, and their strict fulfillment of the duties and prohibitions assigned to them must be ensured; secondly, a real opportunity must be ensured for convicted persons or persons representing their interests to use the rights granted by law.

The principle of justice should be implemented not only by the implementation of criminal punitive legal restrictions, but also by the application of benefits and incentives to convicted persons. In general, justice is one of the most important principles that must be ensured in the work of a social worker in the penitentiary field.

The principle of humanism is fundamental in the activities of a social worker. It is expressed in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which proclaims that: “a person, his rights and freedoms are the highest value” (Article 2). In accordance with Part 2 of Art. 21 of the Basic Law, “no one shall be subjected to torture, violence, or other cruel or degrading treatment or punishment.” The principle of humanism is reflected in Art. 7 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation: “Punishment and other measures of criminal law cannot be aimed at causing physical suffering or humiliation of human dignity.”

A social worker, more than other specialists in the penitentiary system, should be guided by the principle of humanism in his work with convicts, since it is he who understands that by treating convicts as a “lower being” we only cause the manifestation of the worst qualities of his personality, which he shows in revenge to society. Using repressive measures against a convicted person, we will never be able to ensure that the convicted person looks at the world and performs his actions from the standpoint of humanism and philanthropy. Therefore, the orientation of the penitentiary system precisely towards moral and humanistic principles and the implementation of penitentiary policy in accordance with them is the most important task of modern society. And it is the social worker who must implement these principles in view of the specific features of his professional activity.

In penitentiary institutions, the most important functions of social workers are: together with convicts and administrative staff, draw up a plan for training and work during the period of imprisonment; to help convicts overcome the psychological crisis due to their being under arrest; assist in their adaptation to the environment of correctional institutions; help organize free time and continue studying; protect and ensure that the rights of convicted persons are not violated; provide advice to the prisoner’s relatives in solving problems related to his deprivation of liberty; assist the prisoner in regulating financial issues; prepare the prisoner for release, including, if possible, finding him housing and work; regulate the relationship between convicts and staff, because correctional officers often treat convicts as hopelessly incorrigible, which serves as fertile ground for arbitrariness by authorities.

Also, one of the most important functions remains assistance to the groups and categories of convicts who most need it, who are traditionally the objects of social work even in the wild. These are primarily minors, youth, women, the unemployed, pensioners, and the disabled.

One of the most socially unprotected categories of convicts is disabled people. Let us consider the functions of social workers in providing assistance to this category of convicts. According to statistics, about 22,000 disabled people are serving sentences in penal institutions, of which 54.7% have disabilities of groups 1 and 2, 48,000 convicts are over 55 years old, of whom 17.3% are of retirement age. Execution of punishment in relation to convicts with disabilities and convicts who have reached retirement age has its own characteristics due to the need to take into account the state of their health and physical capabilities, and social status in society. The correctional labor legislation provides for them special conditions, benefits, and sending disabled people, at their request, to homes for the disabled and the elderly.

Social workers must help people with disabilities receive all the noted benefits provided by current legislation. It is also known that a large number of disabled people (71.7%) have chronic diseases or get sick often, 56.6% of them experience difficulties in household services, and 8.2% cannot do without outside help. However, neither the health status of disabled people nor the presence of chronic diseases is actually taken into account when organizing the execution of punishment. The effectiveness of the system of professional rehabilitation of disabled people is very low, while disabled people, to a greater extent than healthy prisoners, need special rehabilitation programs.

The vast majority of convicted disabled people are not only socially maladjusted, but also deprived of social connections. For 37.8% of convicts, a medical certificate of disability was made in places of deprivation of liberty; those entitled to a pension are forced to go through commissions again, it takes several months to collect certificates, and all this time, without a means of subsistence, such persons are forced to live either on dependent on relatives or begging. Therefore, in places of deprivation of liberty, special conditions must be created for disabled people to ensure social protection. It is the social worker who must create and monitor the implementation of these conditions; he must also determine the volume and structure of rehabilitation measures on the basis of a medical and social commission conducted jointly with doctors.

A large percentage of the penitentiary system is also HIV-infected, which indicates the need to develop medical and social services.

Graph 2 Tuberculosis patients per 1000 prisoners and HIV-infected per 1000 prisoners in 1995–2000.

Having examined these categories of objects of assistance, we observe what diverse and numerous functions a social worker should perform in the penitentiary system. At the present stage of development of the penitentiary system, there is a peculiarity of the activities of social workers which lies in the fact that the social worker must take on the functions of educational, cultural, legal and sports and recreational workers who have been abolished due to financial difficulties. That is, we can draw a small conclusion that the functions of a penitentiary social worker are very diverse, ranging from assistance in improving life and living conditions, to psychological counseling of convicts and staff. However, in our opinion, the following are fundamental:

1) legal assistance and support for convicted persons;

2) psychological and pedagogical diagnostics of the personality of the convicted person;

3) development, together with the administration of the correctional institution, of programs for socio-psychological and professional rehabilitation of convicts;

4) adaptation of convicts to the environment of correctional institutions.

Despite the presence of common features and properties, the object of penitentiary social work is heterogeneous and, in order to determine the optimal ways of differentiated assistance, support, and protection, can be divided into groups on various grounds. Prisoners with social problems can be classified into the following categories.

For example, based on the severity of social problems and the ability to independently resolve them in a non-criminal way, a group of high-risk convicts can be identified. It includes disabled people, pensioners, young convicts transferred from educational colonies; women with children under three years of age; patients with incurable or difficult-to-treat diseases; persons suffering from alcohol or drug addiction; having no fixed place of residence; convicts subjected to constant physical and mental violence (oppression) of a non-criminal nature.

These are categories of the least protected people who, as a rule, have a complex of interrelated social problems and special needs that pose a threat to their equal existence in correctional institutions, which they cannot resolve on their own. These convicts need various types of constant assistance (material, moral-psychological, medical, legal, penitentiary-pedagogical and other), support, and protection. Social work with them is a priority and mandatory for a specialist; it takes on the nature of support and even comprehensive services with the involvement of doctors, psychologists, educators, and representatives of local social protection authorities. It is necessary to take into account that some of the social problems at the personal level (disability, old age, oppression and others) for objective reasons are completely impossible to resolve, therefore, rehabilitation and educational measures should be supplemented with psychological assistance in changing attitudes towards them and finding opportunities for self-compensation and self-realization in the current circumstances.

The second group consists of convicts who have several social problems of an objectively solvable nature (broken family, lack of profession or inability to engage in a certain type of activity, unfavorable microenvironment, etc.). To do this, after conducting social diagnostics, it is necessary to include the convicted person in socially useful activities, restore positive connections with relatives in various ways, targeted counseling on ways to overcome difficulties, periodic support and updating of personal resources for self-improvement.

The third group includes persons who, in addition to a conviction, have one or more simple social problems, which, as a rule, arise and are overcome during the period of serving their sentence. These include the need to prepare identification documents (passports, powers of attorney), resolving property issues (certificates, wills), pensions, insurance; assistance in finding a job, enrolling in studies and continuing education at universities; restoration of parental rights, establishment of guardianship; preparation of materials to improve conditions for serving sentences, pardons, parole; assistance in obtaining the necessary medications, glasses, prostheses, as well as specialized treatment. At the same time, a social work specialist mainly performs the functions of a consultant and mediator, and assistance is situational and episodic in nature and stops after the needs of the convicted person are satisfied.

Another (fourth) group of convicts consists of people who do not have complex social problems, other than being convicted and kept in prison, or who are able to overcome them on their own. Being self-sufficient people, they often belong to social assistance sections of amateur organizations of convicts, or carry out volunteer social work on the principle of “peer helping peer” with other persons in need of non-professional help. Penitentiary social work with this group of convicts can be reduced to the formation and assistance in the implementation of promising life plans, as well as stimulating positive development and readiness for a full life in freedom.

First of all, it is necessary to say something about crime surveillance methods. In describing observation methods, one can rely on the ideas of the German scientist G. Schneider, according to which, since direct observation of crime is impossible, indirect research methods should be used. One form of indirect observation is interviewing criminals. An interview as a means of research is a systematic activity with scientific goals during which the interviewee is encouraged, through a series of scientific questions, to report verbal information. To carry out this method, it is the activity of the social worker who is important, who can establish trusting, equal relationships with convicts.

With the help of interviews, as a rule, they study the “criminal career” of an individual, which is built primarily on personal characteristics and character traits that cannot be objectively assessed. Drawing conclusions about the personality of the convicted person, drawing up typologies and classifications of the latter is possible only on the basis of the comparative method, the method of empirical sciences, when the results of the study will only be genuine when they are repeated in the results of various studies. Based on these generic methods for studying crime, it is possible to identify specific methods and models of activity of social workers in the penitentiary sphere, based on moral and humanistic foundations and principles. Western scientists identify several main methods of activity of social workers with convicts. This is a model or method of justice, a method of educational influence that includes various models: community and group therapy, transactional analysis, exposure to the reality of the surrounding world, behavior modification.

The justice model states that punishment should not cause the offender to suffer social, mental or physical harm. A humane attitude towards a criminal is the main responsibility of society if it wants such an attitude to have a positive effect and no relapse. According to the justice model, the number of crimes for which imprisonment is required should be significantly reduced. So, for example, serious crimes should be followed by a short term of imprisonment of about a few months, because it is believed that a long term is no more effective than a short one. It should be noted that in Russia this method is unacceptable under modern conditions because short terms will only increase the number of crimes committed, since people will know that they will not suffer significant punishment for their crimes.

The next method, the method of educational influence, involves turning the prison into a clinic. It explains the occurrence of crimes only by individual pathologies and, based on this, offers methods of correction and influence on convicts. This can include individual consultations and group meetings, physical, mental and social therapy.

Russian methods of activity of a social worker in the penitentiary sphere are built, first of all, according to a plan for the consistent elimination of all objective negative phenomena of a socio-economic, socio-psychological nature, the eradication of negative circumstances in the organization of life, activities, everyday life and leisure of specific people.

There is a method of “expanding positive social connections and subject relations”, developed by Soviet criminologists (V.N Kudryavtsev). This method helps the convicted person to join the social experience of a positive orientation. The expansion of positive connections is carried out through: introducing the convicted person to fiction, music, art, sports, and amateur performances; familiarizing him with the positive traditions of other people’s activities; providing him with the opportunity to master the relevant specialty; involving the convicted person in social activities.

Further individual work with the student is based on:

a) the subsequent formation and approval of a socially useful orientation, dominant motives with the gradual displacement of unhealthy needs, negative emotions, aggressive feelings, antisocial views;

b) fostering respect for the norms and laws existing in society.

The next method is the method of psychological correction of the convicted person’s personality. Psychocorrection sees its main goal as a sustainable change in certain psychological properties of the individual that determine the meaningful aspects of the social behavior of the convicted person.

In general, the penitentiary psychological activity of a social worker is possible in the following areas: providing psychological assistance in the traditional sense: diagnostic counseling and preventive measures; improving the psychological state of convicts for the purpose of destructive conflicts and negative perception of correctional influences; carrying out corrective psychological correction of the convicted person. The effectiveness of this method is due to a higher level of direct impact on personality traits.

The implementation of this method presupposes submission to a number of moral and humanistic principles: voluntariness of participation (to ensure true voluntariness it is necessary to provide preliminary psychological assistance and counseling); providing the convicted person with the opportunity to express his point of view in the process of providing assistance and take it into account. To carry out correction, a necessary condition for implementation is psychodiagnostics, aimed at identifying those personality traits that predetermine the criminogenic aspects of the personality.

Thus, the main principles of the method are: voluntariness, individuality, consistency, which consists in the elimination of identified criminogenic tendencies and the formation of alternative ways to solve life problems. These methods can be used by penitentiary social workers in relation to all categories of prisoners.

As relatively conformal and non-conformal (i.e., as relatively independent and relatively non-independent). 2.2 Design of a system of continuous professional education for convicts in a penitentiary institution The external environment has an important influence on the continuous and stable development of education in the penitentiary system, i.e. an area in which educational...

And additional education in correctional institutions) in penitentiary pedagogy has practically not been developed. 3. CURRENT PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PEDAGOGICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROCESS IN PENITENTIAL INSTITUTIONS 3. 1. Problems of legal regulation of educational work with those sentenced to imprisonment According to Art. 9 PEC educational work is considered as one of the main means...

Based on the learned patterns of social work, principles are formed, that is, basic ideas (provisions), rules and requirements for them, the practical implementation of which constitutes the essence of the activity and predetermines its effectiveness. Being a complex universal type of activity, including legal, sociological, psychological, pedagogical and organizational and managerial aspects, penitentiary social work is based on the classification of principles proposed by L.G. Guslyakova, V.I. Kurbatov, E.I. Single and adapted into practice penal system: philosophical principles, relating to all sciences about society, man, their relationships, as well as processes: determinism, reflection, development, unity of consciousness and activity, historicism, the relationship of the individual and his social environment. These principles make it possible to penetrate into the essence of social phenomena in educational institutions, as well as to determine the content of work to create normal conditions for their functioning.

Socio-political principles: unity of state policy with national and regional characteristics, experience and traditions of social work with various categories of the population, including prisoners; democracy of its content and methods; taking into account specific situations, conditions and circumstances of the life of the convicted person, their characteristics when determining the content and technology of work; legality and fairness of the specialist’s activities.

Psychological, pedagogical, acmeological principles, contributing to taking into account the personal characteristics of convicts, socio-psychological mechanisms of education, training, formation and development of the individual in interaction with the environment, as well as the determination of effective technologies of psychological and pedagogical assistance and influence: personal-activity approach; individual and differentiated approach; educational orientation of social work in the penal system; a combination of assistance, support, protection of the convicted person with his positive development and neutralization of deformations and criminogenic determinants; priority in the work of developing positive qualities and properties; the complexity of diagnostics, external influences and conscious personal activity of convicts in resolving difficult life situations and self-development.

To the group organizational principles penitentiary social work, the implementation of which affects its effectiveness, includes: controllability of processes and procedures for providing social assistance, support, protection; systematicity, consistency and continuity of work; structural integrity of social services of the penal system; unity of rights and obligations, powers and responsibilities of social work subjects; professional and personal preparedness of specialists in social work with prisoners; coordination of actions, interaction and cooperation of penitentiary system personnel, convicts, and other interested persons and organizations.

The principles listed above are closely related to the actual principles of social work with prisoners:

Humanity– the basis of social work in correctional institutions should be an attentive caring attitude, the priority of respect for personal dignity, protection of the rights and interests of a person, regardless of his dominant negative individual characteristics, the crime committed, or behavior;

Availability and versatility- all convicts, regardless of political-ideological, religious, national, racial, gender, age, social status and other characteristics, must have equal rights and real opportunities to receive legal social assistance, support, protection;

Addressing– provision of individual social assistance to all needy convicts, especially the most vulnerable categories (disabled, elderly, pensioners, sick people who do not have a specific place of residence, occupation, etc.), their social support during the execution of their sentence, as well as assistance in post-penitentiary resocialization and rehabilitation ;

Voluntariness– social assistance cannot be provided against the will of the convicted person, except in cases related to a threat to the life and safety of the convicted person themselves and other circumstances;

Privacy– non-disclosure of information about the personality and social problems of convicts, which can cause them various harm, infringe on their rights and dignity, and worsen the situation;

Educational and preventive orientation– through social work, creating conditions for the correction of convicts, preventing the emergence of new difficult situations, eliminating the causes that give rise to them;

Stimulating the development of the convicted person– work should be aimed at finding and supporting the prisoner’s positive resource for independently resolving his problems, as well as personal self-education. The participation of a convicted person in social work must be considered as one of the evaluative indicators of his correction, and the ability to independently resolve difficult life situations in a non-criminal manner - as one of the criteria for readiness for a full life in freedom;

Tolerance– a tolerant professional attitude, providing assistance to all categories of needy convicts, regardless of personal likes and dislikes, assessment of the circumstances and nature of the crime committed, the gravity and its consequences, the degree of guilt and the moral, legal, psychological and pedagogical degradation of a person. Professional tolerance in penitentiary social work requires an understanding of the pattern of diversity of convicts, their life situations, as well as a combination of a tolerant and proactive, “believing” attitude towards this diversity, its consideration in the professional activities of a specialist;

Maximizing social and personal resources– to resolve the problems of the convicted person, create conditions for his normal social well-being and positive personal development, all basic means of correction provided for by law, methods and technologies not prohibited by law must be used, all possible healthy forces must be involved (state bodies, non-governmental, volunteer, charitable, human rights , religious and other organizations and institutions, private individuals).

In the process of scientific and practical knowledge of the phenomenon of penitentiary social work, based on various approaches to its organizational, substantive and psychological-pedagogical components, other provisions can and will be put forward that complement and clarify the system of the above principles. Based on them, a system of requirements for the content, methodology and organization of social work is determined. The most significant, priority, enduring professional ideal ideas about what should be done in this activity constitute its values. Unconditional acceptance and guidance of them in social work predetermine its high effectiveness, professional and personal self-realization. The basic professional values of penitentiary social work may include: human self-worth; universality, innateness, inalienability and integrity of human rights: respect for the interests and freedoms of the individual, including the mutual responsibility of people and society: social responsibility and the pursuit of justice; the fullest possible satisfaction of a person’s personal and social needs; the right of every member of society to full self-realization in life.

Thus, goals, patterns, principles and values contain general professional and specially specific features. The latter reflect the features of penitentiary social work as an independent area of activity in providing assistance, support, and protection to convicts. Specific features determined We are, firstly, by the sphere, environment and conditions of its implementation: places of deprivation of liberty; physical, but not spiritual isolation from society; execution of criminal penalties determined by the court; a system of legal legal restrictions on freedoms, opportunities for arbitrary satisfaction of interests, needs, including direct receipt of social assistance; a strictly regulated order of behavior, life activity, external and internal relationships in time and space; forced detention under protection and supervision in specific social and living conditions of joint residence and pastime; the widespread prevalence of the “prison” criminal subculture, stratification of convicts, specific regulators of relationships in the environment of correctional institutions (concepts, norms, customs, traditions); criminogenic interpersonal and intergroup communication, as well as limited normal communication; a high degree of conflict in the environment, the prevalence of criminal methods of resolving contradictions, various forms of violence and oppression; unfavorable socio-psychological background of life, an oppressive, psychologically suppressive environment and minimal subjective opportunities for its improvement; increased risk of being subjected to violence, insult, violation of human dignity, danger to physical and mental health, and others. Consequently, the situation and environment in correctional institutions is characterized as complex, saturated with objective and subjective difficulties, new extreme, stressful and crisis situations that actualize the abilities for social “survival”, but objectively have low educational potential and make it difficult to carry out social work with convicts. Therefore, the penitentiary environment itself is one of the objects of social work, and its improvement is among the priority tasks, directions and conditions for the effectiveness of a specialist’s work.

Social work appears in various guises: as a scientific branch of knowledge, as an educational and practical activity. This circumstance determines its functions. As a science, social work performs the same functions. As educational and practical activities - others.

Penitentiary social work is not an end in itself. This content-specific, specially organized and managed type of complex (multidimensional) activity is one of the main means of achieving the main goal of the penal system - the resocialization of convicts. She performs a series functions. The content functions of social work with convicts include:

R unsocializing. During its implementation, the employee identifies personal strengths and weaknesses, interests and needs, implements a system of pedagogically sound measures to eliminate deformations, promotes intellectual, spiritual, physical development and self-realization in various types of educational, industrial, cultural and leisure, sports, recreational, and communicative activities , artistic creativity;

Security and protective(preventive and preventive) – provides conditions for the life of convicts, control, supervision, protection of their rights, legitimate interests and needs, prevents the negative development of personal difficult life situations, destructive processes among convicts;

Psychological– in the process of implementation of which the specialist identifies the psychological characteristics of the individual, community, environment, criminogenic determinants, and also helps, advises, corrects interpersonal relationships, moral and psychological climate, attitude to difficult life situations and the willingness to overcome them independently.

Socio-medical– aimed at facilitating the organization of work to preserve health, create conditions for its protection, prevent diseases, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Social and household– involves promoting the creation of living conditions in places of deprivation of liberty that meet the requirements of penal legislation;

Readaptation– its implementation ensures, during the period of execution of punishment, comprehensive preparation of convicts for life in freedom through personal development, preservation and development of social connections, overcoming social problems and difficulties; is aimed at assisting in the provision of specific types of assistance, protection, support of persons, rehabilitation of certain categories of those released from correctional institutions, in the first stages of life in freedom, restoration of normal social functioning.

To carry out effective penitentiary social work it is necessary to manage it. Management functions include:

Diagnostic (information support)- consists of identifying the causes (factors - determinants) that led to a difficult life situation, the commission of a criminal offense, conviction and detention in places of deprivation of liberty, conditions, circumstances and reasons for the emergence of new penitentiary social problems, determining the degree of their influence on the convicted person, as well as other characteristics of a specific person, community, environment of the educational institution;

Prognostic– on the basis of study and assessment, various options for the positive or negative development of a difficult life situation are assumed, and possible prospects for the convicted person and communities are determined;

Programming and planning– adoption of one of the decisions, development of a resocialization program and action plan (together with convicts, determination of goals, objectives of future work, methods, means, forms and stages of activity), formation of an atmosphere of trust among convicts and social service specialists, explanation, discussion, agreement, registration and approval of documents with the obligatory participation of the convicted person and other persons interested in his fate;

Coordination, organizational and executive– training-instruction, counseling, organization of specific actions, assistance, support, stimulation, correction, organization of communication, socially useful activities, ensuring interaction between convicts and specialists, coordination of cooperation, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of individual actions and stages of work.

Consequently, social work with convicts as a type of activity must correspond to such characteristics as analytical-prognostic, active-transformative, educational-formative, psychologically developing, preventive (corrective, if necessary), resocializing in nature.

The theoretical foundations of social work with convicts reflect the current level of scientific and practical knowledge of this complex phenomenon. In the future, they will undoubtedly be studied, taken into account, and supplemented. .

Questions to consolidate knowledge and self-control:

What is the subject of penitentiary social work as a science and academic discipline?

What are the specifics of social work with convicts in penitentiary institutions?

Name and characterize the patterns of penitentiary social work?

What are the general scientific principles of penitentiary social work?

What are the specific principles of prison social work?

What scientific disciplines is penitentiary social work related to?

References for Chapter 1:

10Kalinin Yu. Priority tasks of bodies and institutions of the penal system // Crime and punishment. – 2004. - No. 2.

11Kuznetsov M., Ananyev O. Social work with convicts in correctional institutions: Textbook. allowance - Ryazan, 2007.

12 Luzgin S.A. Social work as one of the main means of correction of convicts // Gazette of the penal system. – 2002. - No. 6. - P. 27 – 30.

13 Morozov V.M., Vinogradov V.V. Social work in the penal system: Textbook. allowance – Vladimir, 2006.

14 Social work in the penal system: concepts and development prospects: Proceedings of the international scientific and practical conference, Ryazan, Academy of Law and Management of the Ministry of Justice of Russia, 2003.

15 Social work with convicts: Textbook. – M.: MGSU Publishing House, 2002. – 256 p.

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