Abstract:

Criminal offenders are a marginalized group with a lot of special needs that must be taken into account in the context of their resocialization and reintegration into society. Looking at the historical development of the criminal justice system, one can see the diversity of approaches towards criminal offenders, from methods that have not shown their effectiveness, to new, advanced approaches that are more effective in reducing recidivism. A low level of education as well as poor employment opportunities after leaving prison are one of the key factors of criminal recidivism. For the purpose of successful resocialization, it is necessary to raise the level of education of prisoners by providing a greater number of quality educational programs. It is also important to educate prisoners for occupations that are competitive on the labor market.

The main goal of this paper is to determine the level of quality of educational programs in the prison system of the Republic of Croatia and to detect factors that influence the quality of these programs with the aim of improving prison practice in the context of prisoner education. The research methodology includes the analysis of available scientific and professional literature on the topic of the education of prisoners in the Republic of Croatia, as well as the analysis of reports and published statistical data on this issue.

The results of the analysis indicate a lack of interest in this extremely important topic. The Croatian education system in penal institutions can be characterized as of mediocre quality compared to other European countries, and there are clear implications for the necessity of its improvement. The results also highlight the lack of educational programs and insufficient motivation of prisoners to participate in such programs. The educational programs offered to prisoners are often not in accordance with the needs on the labor market and there are not enough programs aimed at higher levels of education.

Following the example of developed European countries, it is necessary to implement information and communication technologies in the education system in prisons in Republic of Croatia and to improve prison aftercare in the direction of enabling an easier continuation of education after leaving prison. Despite the numerous challenges that the Croatian penal system faces, of which it is necessary to single out those of a financial nature, as well as those of a security nature, it is important to point out that insufficient investment in prison education will lead to much higher costs in the future.

Keywords:

Education, prisons, offenders.