Resocialization and Reintegration of Convicted Individuals: Possibilities and Challenges

The goal of every imposed prison sentence is resocialization of a convicted individual, but its effectiveness is often questionable and opens numerous dilemmas regarding which factors and reasons disrupt its success. Regardless of its success, convicted individuals will be reintegrated into the social environment, which in the case of unsuccessful resocialization during the serving of the prison sentence creates a high level of risk of recidivism after the release. Resocialization is possible regardless of the category of convicted individuals, but in order for it to be successful, all stakeholders participating in this process must give their maximum contribution in order to change the criminogenic structure of a prisoner's personality and get him to accept the system of proper values. In the phase of reintegration of a convicted person into the social environment, post-penal treatment is important, as a form of support and continuation of efficient work within the institutional re-education programme. Only such well-rounded process can be fully effective and lead to the final resocialization that we strive for from the moment the convicted individual starts serving the prison sentence. In this paper, we deal with the dilemma of whether resocialization, as well as re-education treatment in prisons, is possible and effective, and which factors may influence effective reintegration of convicts after their prison sentences have been served. This paper reviews the possibilities of what can affect the (in)efficiency of resocialization and how to overcome these problems during and after serving a prison sentence.