Psychology in prison isolation - report on online workshop.

13 May 2025 another specialised workshop organised by the Institute of Psychology of the University of Vocational Training. The online meeting, led by Dr Marta Jastrzębska, a retired Prison Service officer and experienced penitentiary psychologist, brought together 25 second and third semester psychology students.

Psychological opinions in prison - theory and practice

During the two-hour workshop, participants had the opportunity to learn about the behind-the-scenes work of a psychologist in penitentiary units, with particular emphasis on the process of providing opinions. The presenter discussed issues related to the provision of psychological assistance in prison isolation, the construction of psychological opinions and psychological-penitentiary judgements on the basis of the applicable regulations.

Among the topics discussed were:

• examples of opinions and judgements created by prison psychologists;
• the rules for referring convicted prisoners to the Diagnostic Centre;
• structure of a professional opinion - from purpose and methods to conclusions and recommendations.

Valuable knowledge and practical perspective

The workshop enabled students to gain specific knowledge about the competences of a psychologist in working with people deprived of their liberty. The meeting allowed for a better understanding of the role of psychological opinion in the context of the criminal executive law and brought the reality of working in prisons and detention centres closer.

An added value of the event was the announcement of a field trip to the Detention Centre, which will take place on an agreed date - providing a practical complement to the knowledge gained during the workshop.