Step towards creating a community. The role of correction officers in prisons in prevention of prisoners’ self-harm and suicide behavior

Abstract

The complexity of the problems and peculiarities of the population of prisoners, as well as the need for their re-socialization, create a framework for the roles, tasks and activities of correctional officers, who have the immediate task to correct convicts? behavior. Although correctional institutions in the description of their formal duties are treated as high priority element of their work, in practice it makes a double failure: in the course of prisoners? stay in the institution, self-harming and suicidal behavior is an unconstructive escape from the problems they are faced to, and on the other hand there is a high rate of recidivism which is a proof of unsuccessful prevention and treatment activities. Empowering correctional officers as important agents of convicts? change, must include not only their professional education for professional and focused work on the reduction of socially undesirable forms of behavior of prisoners, but also dealing with the problems of and vicarious trauma and burnout as common helpers? issue. Destructive behaviors as well as the recidivism are the undesirable result of unsuccessful treatment activities that affect adversely the family and the wider community. Creating a community of support during the period of the imprisonment, it is important for the growth and development of both sides in the process - convicted persons and educators. In this paper, we presented structured steps to achieve positive correctional effects in a broader spectrum of deviance: convicts? understanding, experiencing and reacting in the best possible way.