Work Engagement, Education, and Vocational Training of Inmates in the Sremska Mitrovica Penitentiary Facility

In this paper, the author analyses the importance of work engagement, education, and vocational training for the purpose of resocialising persons who serve prison sentence. The purpose of this paper is to observe the mentioned segments of treatment (their role in the process of resocialisation) from the point of view of correctional officers who work with the convicted persons, and at the same time to identify problems encountered in practice, as well as in the process of conducting treatment in terms of work engagement, education, and vocational training, and also following the expiry of prison term. Research, a qualitative study carried out with the application of the focus group method, was conducted during the year 2022 in the Sremska Mitrovica Penitentiary Facility. The main findings show that work, education, and training achieve their purpose in practice but also that there are still multiple stumbling blocks that stand in the way of successful integration into society once prison sentence has been served. Some recommendations relative to improvements in practice have been provided, these recommendations relying on the results of the performed survey, findings of some earlier research and legal standards that are of relevance for executing prison sentence and the position of convicted persons.