Deputy Ombudsman, Republic of Serbia
Received: 30.09.2024.
Revision received: 13.11.2024.
Accepted: 16.11.2024.
UDK: 364-786-058.57(497.11)
Pages: 39-55
Experts dealing with penology and criminology agree that in order to achieve the purpose of punishment, it is not enough to simply deprive the perpetrators of their freedom and imprison them, but also that rehabilitation procedures are necessary, which greatly influence the desired change in behavior, the reduction of recidivism and the reintegration of prisoners into society. This points to the fact that the treatment of prisoners actually represents the most important segment of the execution of the prison sentence and that the priority in the entire execution of criminal sanctions must be resocialization. What is really happening in terms of the treatment of prisoners, why the recidivism rate of the prisoner population in our country has been worryingly high for decades, what are the real situation, problems and challenges in the process of resocialization of prisoners and their reintegration into the social community, these are the questions that we will address in work to try to give answers. The failure of resocialization is the result of numerous factors, from inadequate re-educational treatment, through the influence of the informal prison system, the state of society, to inadequate post-penal acceptance. Therefore, the common goal of all competent authorities should be an effort to find and implement the most adequate programs of action and measures, whereby it is necessary to provide personnel, material and other resources that are necessary for the most successful resocialization of prisoners and their easier reintegration into the social environment. At the same time, this way actively contributes to the prevention of crime.
KEY WORDS: prison / criminal recidivism / resocialization / treatment
