Social Readaptation Center in the System of Recidivism Prevention Measures - Experiences and Conclusions (From Troisieme Seminaire regional du CICC en Europe Centrale, 1976, V 1 - Les mesures post-penales, P 40-60, Alice Parizeau, ed. - See NCJ-70486)

• NCJ Number: 70488
• Author(s): S Walczak
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: French
• Country: Canada

Annotation

The purpose and methods of social readaptation centers for recidivists in Poland are described.

Abstract

The centers are designed to provide supplementary resocialization for multirecidivists after they have served their prison sentences. Placement in such a center is considered an extreme measure which must be ordered by the court when protective supervision is not considered adequate to prevent continued recidivism. The goals of the centers are to contribute to further resocialization in restricted circumstances, to test offenders' degree of social adaptation, and to protect society from new offenses. Restrictions on liberty in the various centers depend on offenders' age, degree of corruption, and need for treatment measures. Placement in such a center cannot, however, be considered a security measure because the centers do not renounce all hope of resocialization or attempt to isolate individuals. The centers differ from penal institutions in their attempt to expand initially limited personal liberty through successful rehabilitation. Furthermore, center inhabitants are paid for their labor according to outside rates and receive vacations, full benefits, medical care, and disability insurance. The chief method of the centers is to provide socially useful work under supervised circumstances. Vocational training, cultural activities, and sports are also available. Other treatment modes are medico-educative alcoholism assistance, incentives for increased freedom, and disciplinary measures such as fines. Principal problems are the resistance of hardcore recidivists, lack of qualified personnel, the appearance of the negative phenomena typical of prisons, and lack of an overall center system with defined functions. Resident-staff conflicts and epidemic alcoholism have been corrected to some degree through tightened discipline and creation of centers for special recidivist types. While a certain balance of inhabitants' rights and obligations has been achieved, the planned autonomy for individuals placed in the centers has not been realized. On the whole, the centers often do not fulfill their original purpose because of the need for extreme restrictions on individual freedom. On the positive side, the social adaptation of many inhabitants leaving the centers after 2 years is improved.