Cooperation with the public is important

Interaction with public, religious, state organisations, and charitable foundations plays an important role in the work of the Department of the State Department of Ukraine for the Execution of Sentences (SDUES) in the Ternopil region and subordinate institutions. Precisely for this reason, to establish the further direction of work and resolve issues of primary importance for cooperation with these organisations, a working meeting was held between the head of the regional department, Major General P. S. Losyk, the deputy head for social-educational and psychological work R. Ya. Vovk, and the chief specialist of the sector for social-educational and psychological work A. B. Nytka with the head of the Public Council, M. P. Matsuk, and representatives of the council.

During the meeting, it was noted that thanks to the close cooperation of the Public Council and the management of the regional department, with the participation of public and religious organisations, a number of events were held in the region’s institutions during the year, namely:

- at the joint initiative of the regional Centre for Social Services for Family, Children, and Youth (CSSFCY) and the Department of the SDUES in the Ternopil region, a charitable campaign to collect books for the needs of penal enforcement service institutions entitled “Donate a Book Behind Bars” was held. Based on the results of the campaign, employees of the regional and district CSSFCYs transferred 2,268 copies to the needs of the region’s institutions;
- at the joint initiative of the Public Council and the Ternopil Regional Association of Women, children whose parents are in places of detention attended a Christmas tree celebration under the patronage of the mayor and the head of the Ternopil Regional State Administration;
- with the goal of increasing national consciousness among citizens serving sentences, ensuring their spiritual development, performances by creative groups of the Ternopil Municipal Orchestra “Orchestra of Freedom” and the Solomiya Krushelnytska Ternopil Music College were held in the region’s institutions;
- in the Zbarazh Correctional Colony, representatives of the Ternopil regional organisation of the Red Cross Society conducted a series of information and propaganda activities dedicated to the World Tuberculosis Day;
- an agreement was concluded between the Chortkiv SIZO and the “Sport for All” population physical health centre. The centre carries out preventive and organisational work aimed at forming a healthy lifestyle among convicts;
- with the assistance of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and public organisations, a trip to the Marian Spiritual Complex of the Zarvanytsia Mother of God, as well as to the Holy Dormition Pochaiv Lavra, was organised for the pupils of the Berezhany Correctional Colony;
- thanks to close cooperation with the service for children’s affairs, educational events, contest programmes, quizzes, meetings with representatives of the B. Lepkyi museum and the local history museum, as well as with the “Siaivo” band, were repeatedly organised in the Berezhany Correctional Colony. The institution was visited with a humorous programme by a folk artist-humourist, Honoured Artist of Ukraine Hryts Drapaka;
- for the first time in the history of the existence of the Berezhany Correctional Colony, a performance by the “Cruise” mobile circus-chapiteau, which operates under the aegis of the state enterprise “Molodist”, took place. The holding of such events contributes to the improvement of the moral-psychological climate among the pupils, helps in creating useful leisure, and gifts a huge charge of humanity, kindness, optimism, and hope.
Furthermore, representatives of the Public Council under the regional department carry out social support for the released and provide them with practical assistance in resolving everyday issues, study their material condition, and provide assistance in finding employment.

All work of the public organisations is aimed at reducing recidivism among persons serving sentences, and the intermediate result is the preparation of convicts for release, socio-psychological adaptation, the formation of socially useful goals, a positive life position, respect for others, dignity, the ability to take responsibility for one’s actions, and the activation of interest in cognitive and work activities.

During the meeting, the head of the regional department noted that during the past year, a number of effective measures had been taken in the penal institutions to improve the conditions of detention of convicts.

In turn, the head of the Public Council, Mariia Matsuk, noted that the conditions in which convicts serve their sentences are no worse, and in some institutions much better, than those in which students live in dormitories.

Representatives of the public council proposed a number of useful ideas and suggestions, with the help of which it is possible to reduce the degree of crime and its recidivism among convicts. One of the main directions of work is to petition the regional and city leadership regarding the creation of a consultative point for the released, the main goal of which will be providing practical assistance to those released from places of detention in social adaptation, assistance in finding employment, restoration of necessary documents, etc.

In general, many proposals and important issues were discussed for improving the effectiveness of the cooperation between the Public Council and the Department of the SDUES in the Ternopil region, which would ensure a high level of compliance with legality in the execution of criminal sentences, and preventive work regarding the prevention of recidivism among those released.