Development of biophilic personality as a factor in effective resocialization

Abstract

The problems of resocialization measures are not easy and complex. After all, the recipients of these interventions are the perpetrators of crime, including minor and juvenile offenders.  In order for resocialization to be effective, it must follow the right principles. The basic principle is the principle of support. Support should have many aspects: material, social, pedagogical, psychological, and medical. The support provided to inmates or juveniles from youth detention centers should include two elements. Those working in resocialization institutions must be willing to provide support despite the fact that the recipients are offenders. There must also be a willingness on the part of the recipients to accept the support. Offenders are reluctant to open up to social support as it requires acknowledging their weakness and even admitting to their actions. They prefer to show their strong-mindedness because it gives them a sense of security. When providing the support, the individual characteristics of its recipients should be taken into account, including personality traits, life experiences, psychological trauma, interpersonal conflicts, illnesses, and family and vocational situation. The perpetrators of criminal acts are often characterized by social maladjustment, antisocial personality, and even criminal lifestyles, which causes their reluctance towards resocialization measures and change in the broad sense. Specific offences are those against health and life. The introduction of a psychological construct called biophilic character into the resocialization measures seems to be desirable and useful. Character in general is an important element in the structure of personality. According to E. Fromm, biophilia is the love of life, respect for one's own life and the life of others, and respect for the world of animals and plants. As the biophilic character develops, the level of aggressiveness should decrease and the frequency of aggressive behaviour should decline. As a method in psychological research, observation allows for noting pro-life, or biophilic, responses in inmates and juveniles from youth detention centres. The greater the number of such responses, the greater the chance of the development of biophilic tendencies and even biophilic character, which will translate into the effectiveness of resocialization.