Features of the administrative activity of the psychological service of penitentiary institutions in the context of ensuring the rights of convicts

Abstract

The relevance of this study is conditioned by the search for effective ways to influence the process of optimising the administrative activities of psychological services of the penitentiary system in connection with the ongoing reform of the penitentiary system of Ukraine as of 2024. This determined the purpose of this study, which was to identify current problems of the psychological service in the system of penitentiary organisation and to identify approaches to their transformation according to the world’s leading practices, aimed at ensuring humane treatment of prisoners and securing their rights. The theoretical and methodological framework of this study included the use of qualitative methods of structural and functional analysis of the problem of psychological support services in penitentiary institutions and analytical research of the professional competence of a psychologist in working with convicts. The findings of the study reflect the problem of management and administration of psychological services of the penal system. The study also highlighted the issues of the specifics of professional activity of correctional facility staff, approaches and ways to improve the administrative legal methods of the psychological service and forms of implementation of staff competencies in professional activity. Specifically, the findings covered the issues of developing the professional competence of practical psychologists of correctional institutions, their responsibilities in working with prisoners and the problems associated with psychological support for staff regarding professional burnout and their subjective safety. The obtained data also covered the specific features of resocialisation of convicts and the problems of their rehabilitation in penal institutions. Furthermore, the study presented a model of the process of improving the administrative activities of psychological departments of the penitentiary system. The results obtained during the study can be used by psychologists of correctional institutions and the management of such institutions to improve the work of psychological services, develop training programmes for specialists