POSTRZEGANIE I RESPEKTOWANIE GODNOŚCI WIĘŹNIÓW PRZEZ FUNKCJONARIUSZY SŁUŻBY WIĘZIENNEJ
THE PERCEPTION OF, AND RESPECT FOR, PRISONERS’ DIGNITY AMONG PRISON SERVICE OFFICERS

Summary/Abstract: Purpose of the work. The purpose of this article is to identify the attitudes of Prison Service officers towards the dignity of imprisoned people, and in particular to explore the correlations between selected determinants, such as gender, department, professional experience, religiosity, and marital status, and the perception of the dignity of prisoners, and their implications. Research material and methods. This study was conducted between 2014 and 2015 among 475 Prison Service officers working in direct contact with prisoners. The study had the form of a group-administered questionnaire and was carried out in Prison Service training centres. Results. Officers who worked in the Security Department, had longer professional experience, and were less religious, perceived prisoners as inferior to people living outside prison. Rehabilitation officers were more likely than Security Department officers to address prisoners using “sir/ madam”, and more senior ones were more likely to be on first name terms with prisoners. Respondents who were in a relationship and were practising believers were more likely to risk their lives to defend prisoners. Conclusions. The socio-demographic characteristics that determined how Prison Service officers perceived prisoners and their dignity included the department in which they worked, their professional experience, marital status and religiosity. No significant differences were found between genders.

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