ART THERAPY AS ONE OF THE TECHNOLOGIES FOR CORRECTING PROBATION SERVICE CLIENTS

Abstract

Introduction. The relevance of the problem emphasizes the ongoing implementation in Ukraine of a legal mechanism aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the functioning of all sectors, including the protection of the rights of convicted persons. For Ukraine, the issue of probation supervision is of great importance as a tool for aligning national practice with international standards of criminal justice and the execution of punishments.
Purpose. The aim of the article is to examine the art therapy method as an effective means of rehabilitating clients of the probation service.
Methods. The main research methods include: theoretical methods (analysis, synthesis, and generalization of scientific literature sources); empirical methods (document analysis and surveys); and analysis of the research results.
Results. The main results of the study are presented through an analysis of the scientific work of specialists on this issue. The article also examines the regulatory and legal framework concerning the protection of individuals under conditional sentence. It is emphasized that since 2018, the State Institution “Probation Center” has effectively begun operating in Ukraine, with responsibilities that include implementing probation supervision tasks. In addition, a number of regulatory acts have been adopted and amendments introduced to existing legislation in order to prevent the loss of an individual’s social significance and to ensure full rehabilitation outside correctional institutions. The article highlights that probation supervision is a primary form of criminal punishment, consisting of the lawful restriction of the rights and freedoms of a convicted person through supervisory and socio-educational measures without isolation from society. The process of resocialization is considered important, as it fosters a positive attitude toward work, social norms, and the personal culture of the convicted individual. Particular attention is paid to socio-educational work during the execution of sentences not involving deprivation of liberty. To this end, a study was conducted in the form of a survey among employees of the State Institution “Probation Center” of the Zhytomyr region and representatives of the public, and the results are presented with thorough analysis. Based on these findings, the technology of art therapy is considered as an effective tool for socio-psychological rehabilitation, resocialization, and correction of convicted persons serving sentences that are not related to imprisonment.
Originality. The scientific novelty of the research results lies in the analysis of studies on probation activities, which have been and remain the subject of scientific inquiry by lawyers, sociologists, social workers, psychologists, and educators, both domestic and foreign. This contributes to the formation of a modern approach to understanding the institution of probation as a conceptual direction in the humanization of criminal legal responsibility. The article also presents the results of the author’s own study, which involved surveying employees of the “Probation Center” and their clients, and, on this basis, developing an art therapy program specifically for these clients.
Conclusions. Through the implementation of the author’s art therapy program, the advantages of art therapy technology and its creative potential for socio-educational work with probation service clients are revealed. The proposals focus on the further development and application of art therapy as an effective tool for socio-psychological rehabilitation, resocialization, and the correction of individuals sentenced to alternative forms of punishment.