Social Work as a Factor Supporting the Social Readaptation of Convicts in the Polish Penitentiary System

The article addresses the issue of social work with prisoners who not only manifest numerous psychosocial deficits but also in conditions of prison isolation have limited access to important resources, goods activities and have limited opportunities to meet their basic needs. The study focused on presenting social work as a factor supporting the social readaptation of convicts in relation to the Polish penitentiary system. The aim is to determine to what extent the Polish penitentiary system takes into account social work as a factor supporting and conditioning the process of social readaptation of prisoners. In the first part, the social readaptation of convicts is analyzed as the aim of social work. Then, an attempt was made to critically analyze the existing model of social work with prisoners and the need to introduce social work to the Polish penitentiary system to a wider extent than before was considered. The conclusions from the analysis indicate that social work, although it is an important factor supporting the social readaptation of prisoners, is not fully taken into account in the current model of penitentiary work with convicts. This model only provides basic social support to convicts as part of post-penitentiary assistance. Therefore, the need was indicated to develop and implement a model of social work with prisoners that would allow for close cooperation between the penitentiary and social welfare systems, also with the participation of other entities. This model should take into account the need for a full diagnosis of the socio-economic situation of convicts and other problems that may be a source of disturbances in their social readaptation process.