penitentiary system - a collection of different activities undertaken in prisons with the aim of re-education of prisoners.Also, under this definition, understand the state institution responsible for the execution of criminal penalties.
first institution in which imprisonment was based on the principle of correction, appeared in the seventeenth century by order of the Danish King Christian.It was a shelter for juvenile offenders.In the same century, these institutions began to appear in major cities of Italy and Germany.A century later, in England and North America, while the former British crown colony, the prison system was born.Pennsylvania Prison Society to create in 1776, reformed in 1833. It still exists today.Members of the society belonged to the religious community of Quakers and did everything to encourage the offender to repent - in particular, to encourage self-contemplation, daily Bible reading.But experience has shown that such a prison system often does not bring the desired effect.The exceptions were those few cases where prisoners have been located to correct.
penitentiary system in the USSR and in Russia in the early nineties was managed by different departments.But it was not until as long as the enforcement of sentences was not the main function of GUIN.In 1997, the Russian prison system came under the control of the Ministry of Justice.Today in Russia there are about 800 correctional facilities, about 230 prison, seven prisons, 62 colonies for minors.
social work in the penitentiary system comprises two main aspects: psychological and legal.It is necessary to consider each of them.
Legal support - one of the main functions of the social worker.It often happens that the representatives of the prison authorities for prisoners appear negative stereotypes.Also on this day, there are cases of using free labor in prisons.Violation of the rights of convicts do not contribute to their correction.Moreover, in countries where treatment of prisoners based on humanism, much less repeat offenders.In the re-education labor is less efficient than education.It proved Daniel Glaser, the famous American scientist.According to him, in the course of re-training methods should be used, as long education significantly reduces the risk of relapse.
Psychological aspects of social work in prison is no less important than the law.For the first time falling behind bars, one feels the discomfort and stress, which often results in the commission of new crimes.The risk of getting injured psyche sentenced to 15% higher than in the wild.In human consciousness after five to eight years, "his release" often appear irreversible changes.Therefore, in prisons need to create a service with a staff of qualified psychologists and other social workers.
modern Russian penitentiary system is still far from being able to help prisoners get back on the right path.For example, throughout the prison neglect hygiene norms.But positive changes in this area already.
