The influence of individually typological characteristics of prisoners on the process of adaptation to conditions of social isolation - Статья

Instead, the problem of adaptation to correctional facilities, and as the result the influence of personal characteristics of prisoners under conditions of imprisonment, development of means of correctional influence upon them are still poorly researched. Basing on the definition, the main goals of the study are to examine the influence of personal characteristics of prisoners on social, psychological and socio-psychological adaptation to conditions of imprisonment. The study had been conducting during 2005-2009 years and included several stages. At the first stage there was defined the goal, tasks, theoretical and methodological approaches to the study. There were analyzed documents, MIA systems concerning the penitentiary system. At this stage there were perceived humanistic approaches towards the improvement of the penal system on the basis of work experience at Slavyanoserbsk penal colony number 60 (Lozovske village of Slavyanoserbsk district, Luhansk oblast). Data about the positive impact of families of prisoners on their legal self-consciousness and rehabilitation were received. At this stage, the focus was given to the study of prisoners’ individuality, their difficulties during the process of formation and characteristics of manifestation on different levels of socialization. The second stage had the task to make a clear and scientific analysis of documentation: personnel files, characteristics, life stories, i.e. psychological anamnesis of a convicted. This phase of work was carried out in the Lugansk investigation cell of the management SDUIEP (State Department of Ukraine on Issues of Execution of Punishment) in Luhansk region. On the third phase the psychological service acquired research, searching character. In particular, priority directions in dealing with the convicted, prisoners, and the staff of penal colony were defined. The development of the idea of creating psychological service also took place in several stages. Though on the first stage psychological help did not have a single concept of work, the second phase created an environment, conditions which were necessary for conceptualization of psychological service within the frameworks of humanistic psychology. The third stage was characterized by the definition of principles, content and aims for providing psychological assistance to prisoners in correctional facilities during their adaptation and rehabilitation after their release. In the course of organization of the study there has been defined the necessity of perception of detention regime as a significant index for adaptation to correctional facilities. All services began realizing that explaining to prisoners the conditions of detention and regime as personally significant element of adaptation is not only one of the necessary conditions for implementation of the functions by the institution, but also a part of their rehabilitation and legal consciousness. In this regard, during the daily check of regime facilities by the staff of the institution and representatives of the administration there have been carried out review of technical and sanitary condition of cells; complaints and applications of the convicts have been considered; domestic issues have been settled. As a result, the number of violations and conflicts in the cells have decreased, as well as appeals to a higher court have stopped, as all issues have been resolved immediately at the local level. At the last stage of the study all the prisoners were offered the adaptation programs which had been developed together with them during their diagnosis. Those who were preparing for release got acquainted not only with psychological advice, but held social and psychological training. These are the main stages of a study, conducted during 4 years. Now we turn to the description of the sample of the test persons and the organization of the study. The last stage of the research has been conducted in the investigation cell. Our study involved prisoners who were in the cells of general detention (further - I group) at a rate of 119 (55.3%) people, and prisoners, sentenced to perform the work of public services (group II) at a rate of 96 (44, 7%) people.