Social-psychological approach to the adaptation of persons under probation: a review of foreign experience

Abstract

Introduction. The research focuses on improving adaptation measures for offenders under probation. The relevance of the study is determined by the high rates of re-offending of supervised persons caused by the lack of a stable source of income, low level of education, absence of profession or necessary qualification, cessation (breakdown) of relationships, alcohol or drug addictions. The problem consists in the fact that individual preventive work with supervised persons needs to be improved and that there is a lack of a systemic understanding of how it should be organized. One of the stages of solving the problem is the examination of foreign experience of social adaptation of supervised persons and conceptualization of its theoretical foundations, definition of the subject area, characteristics and parameters. Research methods: theoretical methods of cognition: generalization, categorization and systematization of information on approaches, theories and concepts on the adaptation of administratively supervised persons. Results. The author reasons that foreign adaptation programs are based on sociological (structural functional and interactionist) theories and a group of socio-psychological ideas and concepts. Analysis of the programs also reveals the influence of national and cultural specificity on the organization of work with supervised persons. The main directions of adaptation are: (1) restoration of social functioning of this category of persons, carried out by means of legal, social and psychological support, (2) reintegration in the form of controlled involvement into the social relationships existed before the criminal punishment; (3) social and psychological adaptation aimed at countering criminalization, resocialization and rehabilitation. Conclusions. The value of social environment in social adaptation of supervised persons is identified. This environment can offer material and social resources that the subject lacks, be a source of expert information, education and psychological support. The author substantiates the need to verify the findings by further operationalizing the characteristics of the social environment in order to objectively assess its ability to implement the adaptation of persons subjected to administrative supervision.