CORRECTION (RE-SOCIALISATION) OF CONVICTS AS FACTOR IN REDUCING CRIMINALITY – RATE

Abstract

Re-socialisation has became an important issue in the time when deprivation of liberty has been introduced as a form of penal sanction and prisons have gained a new and a different function than before- a reeducational/correctional function. Theoreticaly, the term of re-socialisation refers to a multidisciplinary approach to a convict, and cooperation of all the participants with different educational levels and vocations, who are included in the implementation of the re-socialisation process. Contemporary criminal legislation in our country defines that the purpose of enforcement of penal sanctions is to suppress anti-social activities which represent a threat to or are endangering social values protected by criminal law. Every person with final court verdict for perpetration of a criminal offense is committed for serving of his/her sentence in a Republic of Serbia’s institution in charge for enforcement of penal sanction. The purpose of their sanctioning is re-socialisation, or correction and preparation for social reintegration after serving prison sentence, adoption of socially acceptable behaviour and prevention of doing criminal acts again. The system of enforcemnt of penal sanctions , as a part of the social reaction to criminality, has a specific role which is determined by the penal policy, civilizational and cultural level, ethical and humanistic values , scientific and economic potential of the society. These determinants have been shaping three basic social reactions to criminality through history : punitive, preventive and correctional (reeducational). Contemporary criminal legislation in our country defines (that) the purpose of enforcement of penal sanctions is to suppress the acts which endanger society , injure or threaten the social values protected by criminal law. Generally, these are the three most important strategies in achieving this goal: 1.) to prevent the perpetrator from committing criminal acts and his/her reeducation (correction), 2.) educational impact on others not to make criminal acts and 3.) strengthen the morale and the impact on the development of social responsibility and discipline of the citizens. In the era of the general increase in the crime rate, there is also a growing interest of the state to more effectively suppress it. Members of the Interior Ministry work on the same task together with prosecutors, courts, and of course the institution for enforcement of penal sanctions. There is a frequently asked question of the real possibilities of imprisonment in reeducation, correction of offenders and whether the prison, as we know it today, can become an important subject in combating crime. Numerous studies show that imprisonment has different effect on people. Some of them never perpetrate criminal act again, others become even more difficult delinquents, and the third act the same as before coming to prison. Results of re-socialisation, which is above all, difficult and time-consuming process, may not be visible and measurable immediately, because an essential goal of correction is not just a successful integration into the prison environment, but also a social reintegration after a stay in prison. Work on the development and interconnection of institutions in the post-prison period is a much better parameter to evaluate the success of the process of resocialization than a parametar of appropriate conduct in a prison institution alone. Implementation of correctional treatment in prison conditions is a phase of individualization in the treatment of convicts. The procedure itself is complex, time-consuming and carried out gradually in phases. The basic stages in this procedure are: 1. encouragement and stimulation of the universal values of the prisoners as well as present potentials to solve problems by themselves using measures of psychological and pedagogical treatment. 2. removing social barriers in the resocialisation of the convicted person, by providing the conditions for housing, employment and life in liberty. During imprisonment, particular attention should be paid to the correctional treatment program, especially in the field of labor and employment of convicted persons , because this is an important factor for their re-socialisation. Also, attention should be paid to organization of their leisure time, their education, the use of granted special rights and freedom of religion. All the above mentioned activities which are carried out by correctional treatment with the help of professional staff in institutions will certainly affect the successful re-socialisation of sentenced persons, as the purpose of penal sanctions, which will result in the reduction of recidivism and thereby contribute to the fight to reduce crime in our area.