Introduction

In the article, the author examines the issue of the low effectiveness of traditional rehabilitation through the isolation of offenders, advocating for a shift towards restorative rehabilitation focused on crime victims. Nowadays, both juvenile delinquency and other manifestations of deviant behavior among children and adolescents are taking on dangerous forms and increasing in scale. Due to criticism of the inefficiency of the traditional rehabilitation system and conventional criminal sanctions — which often fail to produce the desired results and may even have negative consequences, such as a high rate of recidivism among juveniles in correctional facilities, social maladjustment, and stigmatization by socjety — there is a search for new methods of rehabilitation intervention. Additional concerns include the lack of adequate pedagogical and psychological training for judges and the deepening anomie among staff in rehabilitation institutions. Another important factor is the high cost of maintaining such facilities. Theoretical justifications can also be considered, such as the theory of social labeling (stigmatization) and the growing importance of victimology — a discipline focused on crime victims. Victimological research has highlighted the need to halt the objectification of victims and instead transform them into active participants in the criminal process. This shift led to the emergence of the restorative justice model, which prioritizes damage repair and mediation. Restorative justice, unlike criminal justice and classical legal concepts, does not impose punishment or assign blame. Instead, it seeks to repair harm and promote reconciliation between offenders and victims.

The article addresses the issue of social maladjustment, its diagnosis, social areas, and prevention. The concept of social maladjustment is not clearly defined in the subject literature—its interpretation depends on views regarding the etiology and manifestation of maladjustment. It is a phenomenon of interest not only to educators but also to psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, and criminologists. Consequently, depending on the perspective, the concept of social maladjustment is defined differently, and its scope varies. One thing, however, is certain: this concept encompasses specific forms of behavior that characterize its manifestation. The phenomenon of social maladjustment must be considered within the broader issue of adaptation—that is, the relationship between an individual and their environment—highlighting the complexity, multi-layered nature, universality, and broad semantic scope of the term, which certainly complicates its operationalization. "Adaptation" is a term used in both natural and social sciences. In the natural sciences, it describes the ability to maintain internal balance (homeostasis) in response to environmental changes. In the social sciences, it is understood as the ability to function effectively regardless of changing environmental conditions. Thus, this phenomenon can be analyzed on various levels: anatomical, psychological, or even cultural.

The author of the article describes the Juvenile Detention Center and the Shelter for Minors in Pszczyna. The functions and differences between these two institutions, which operate in an unusual manner as a single facility, are outlined. Each of these structures (the shelter and the detention center), divided into educational groups, occupies separate residential areas. The article provides a detailed description of the roles of the educational staff, who often alternate between working with the detention center residents and the shelter residents. A similar system applies to the staff of the Diagnostic Team. Three psychologists and two educators are responsible for the diagnosis and therapy of the residents. The author also highlights the differences that characterize the residents of the facility.

A drawback of the Polish child and youth care and education system has been and still remains its limited connection with local government structures. A breakthrough in this area was brought about by the social reforms initiated on January 1, 1999. Their key objective was to move away from a centralized, bureaucratic, and state-controlled social policy in favor of one shaped by local self-governing communities. Decentralization of social policy tasks was recognized as the primary instrument for implementing the constitutional principle of state subsidiarity. Under the law, new local government units were established — counties and provinces — with a different structure than before. The fundamental functions, competencies, and responsibilities of the state’s social policy were transferred to self-governing counties (as defined by the County Government Act). These counties were assigned a broad range of tasks, including addressing the issues of people with disabilities, individuals struggling with drug addiction, the unemployed, the poor, and those with mental illnesses. Counties were also obligated to provide assistance to disorganized families and children deprived of care, individuals requiring specialized care, the chronically ill, elderly individuals without caregivers, refugees, foster families, and other people in need of continuous, professional, and costly care and support.

The author of the article defines the concept of social maladjustment before examining the general mechanisms of human behavior from the perspective of interactionist theory. They describe the work of a social rehabilitation educator, social worker, therapist, streetworker, and others who confront the problem of social maladjustment in children and adolescents while having very limited educational influence over their charges. Armed only with the imperative of kindness and treating their wards as individuals, these professionals quickly realize that working with aggressive, hyperactive, withdrawn, or neglectful individuals requires immense patience and a specialized approach. Beyond knowing the modern rehabilitation methods — such as persuasion, advising, and influencing through personal example — it is essential that every practicing educator also possesses a deep understanding of the mechanisms underlying human behavior. Without comprehending the essence of human action, especially the causes of antisocial—socially condemned — behavior that we commonly refer to as social maladjustment, even correctly implemented rehabilitation methods will fail to produce the desired results. Without the right knowledge, individuals working with socially maladjusted children and youth expose themselves to the risk of rapid professional burnout and discouragement.

The individual experience of socialization influences in the socio-moral development of children and adolescents shapes their attitudes toward the surrounding social reality. While this statement may seem like a truism, in many cases, the set of experiences an individual accumulates while defining their social competencies, becoming socialized, and integrating into the social culture will determine how they assess and relate to that reality. This fact also has another dimension—the dimension of preventing potential disruptions or obstacles to socio-moral development, as well as corrective and re-educational interventions when such disruptions occur. Cognitive dissonance, which arises in the process of defining relationships between moral, social, and legal norms, becomes evident when we analyze the origins of these norms. Moral norms are considered norms of internal compulsion, resulting from complex and informal processes. In contrast, legal norms are norms of external compulsion, created by institutions, social classes, and the formalized structures of state and social life.

If a culture is to survive, it must have rules that define what is good and what is bad, what is permitted, and what is forbidden. Therefore, from the perspective of the community, the developmental tasks faced by a child or young person include not only acquiring knowledge about how the world functions but also internalizing a set of laws, social sanctions, and rules that regulate daily behavior. Social rules serve as a kind of guide in recognizing what is "appropriate" and what is "inappropriate." For this reason, the process of understanding these rules and acting in accordance with them is defined as "moral development." For a long time, moral development was a subject reserved only for philosophers and clergy. Today, however, it is also of interest to psychologists and educators.

In response to the increasing manifestations of pathological behaviors such as violence, aggression, and crime, particularly among young people, which are causing growing concern in society, there is also a rising sense of social threat from juveniles. Society is increasingly demanding stricter treatment of juvenile offenders and more effective actions from rehabilitation institutions. In this situation, it becomes crucial to enhance the effectiveness of rehabilitation efforts, both in terms of prevention, proper rehabilitation conducted in institutions, and post-rehabilitation support for socially maladjusted individuals. Social maladjustment can be understood as inadequate functioning in social roles, adopting antisocial attitudes, and improperly satisfying individual needs. For individuals of this type, rehabilitation interventions are undertaken— a set of intentional measures aimed at achieving proper social adaptation and shaping behaviors and personality traits that ensure optimal and creative functioning in society. Rehabilitation can incorporate caregiving, educational, and therapeutic interventions. This article focuses on therapeutic work in rehabilitation, particularly the use of psychotherapy through art.

The mission of the Dom Aniołów Stróżów (House of Guardian Angels) center in Katowice, whose activities we aim to present, is based on two key pillars: the work of experienced professionals assisted by young volunteers (streetworking) in open environments among "street children" and the use of community-based correctional methods in its daycare activities. Recognizing that it is better to prevent social demoralization and maladjustment rather than establish institutions that work with individuals for whom antisocial behavior has become a profitable way of organizing their relationships with the environment — beyond the control of socjety — the founders of this center undertook community work with "socially neglected" children. "Street children" are children aged 3-18 who spend most of their time outside their homes, emotionally neglected and deprived of parental support. Initially, they attempt to earn money legally (cleaning car windows, collecting aluminum cans), but over time, they begin to sustain themselves and their families through theft (especially from large retail chains), extortion, and prostitution. Streetworking, which in Polish literature can be roughly translated as "pedagogy of the streets," appears to be a promising form of social work that essentially "moves" to the streets. Among the children and youth living there, as well as emerging gangs (whose presence is not exclusive to the ghettos of Detroit but can also be observed — albeit on a smaller scale — in Katowice districts such as Załęże), it establishes and maintains educational relationships that public institutions "waiting" for their clients (formalized social welfare and rehabilitation services) would never be able to build.

The author discusses issues of social maladjustment, which encompass a variety of topics; therefore, the text necessarily presents them selectively. It takes into account the need for selectivity and provides information on recent achievements in this field. The article does not offer definitive answers regarding the best intervention methods. However, it explains certain principles and approaches that, according to the author, enhance the effectiveness of interventions for socially maladjusted individuals. The key question is how to effectively address the problem of maladjustment, which should encourage the implementation of a reform program. However, it is also evident that such changes must be introduced on multiple levels, considering individual, social, and economic factors. With this in mind, the author questions whether direct work with young people can yield any results if external factors play such a significant role in the development of social maladjustment.

The author of the article presents the work of a caregiver-educator, drawing on her own experience, observations, and reflections on the specifics of working with demoralized and mildly intellectually disabled youth. She highlights the unique mission of providing support, assistance, and, above all, care for another person, which is inherent in the profession of a caregiver-educator. The author emphasizes that the presented reflections are her subjective thoughts rather than universal examples or guidelines on how to work with such youth. Every person functions and works differently—each is unique—therefore, the article is not a universal handbook for handling the challenges of this profession but rather a collection of personal experiences regarding the development of one's own work methods and the building of relationships with the pupils.

The author presents the history of postgraduate studies in prevention and resocialization at the University of Silesia in Katowice. The story begins in January 1986 when the Ministry of Science and Higher Education sent a letter to the University of Silesia regarding the establishment of postgraduate studies in special education (letter no. DP. 14-014-1/86). The proposal included the creation of a three-semester part-time qualification program at universities and higher pedagogical schools. An attachment to the mentioned letter concerned the proposal to establish a two-semester program aimed at enhancing pedagogical skills and expanding knowledge, intended for graduates of integrated master's degree programs in special education. The ministry left the choice of the specific educational focus to the university, while proposals regarding the curriculum could also come from educational authorities based on an analysis of the work of educational institutions. The ministry proposed the following specializations for the three-semester postgraduate program: rehabilitation of chronically ill and disabled individuals, rehabilitation of the deaf and hard of hearing, rehabilitation of the blind and visually impaired, rehabilitation of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and resocialization. The ministry's proposal also included a list of subjects to be covered in the program, but these were considered as fundamental guidelines. Each higher education institution had the freedom to supplement this list with additional subjects based on the ministry’s recommendations, as determined necessary by the Faculty Council to fulfill the objectives of the studies.

The author presents the history of postgraduate studies in prevention and resocialization at the University of Silesia in Katowice, focusing not on the administrative aspects of the program but on the education of students, the curriculum, and the development of the studies over 20 years, from 1986 to 2006. Scientific conferences and seminars are organized at the end of each educational cycle. Students present their own research based on scientific literature, field studies, and practical experiences. Discussions and the exchange of experiences—both regarding the latest scientific advancements and real social realities—provide participants with opportunities to implement changes, understand complex phenomena, and apply new or already proven methods of working with youth. It is worth noting that during these scientific seminars, a variety of topics were addressed, mainly related to educational challenges and the specifics of preventive and resocialization work. Topics included youth subcultures of the "second life," the unique aspects of educational work in orphanages, emergency shelters, juvenile detention centers, and community centers. Issues related to violence were also examined from a broad perspective, considering it in the context of family life, institutional settings, and media influence. The main causes, types, forms, and consequences of violence were analyzed.

Review

Review

The author of the article analyzes the life and scientific work as well as the organizational and social activity of this exceptional Man, Humanist and outstanding Scientist, which encourages multi-dimensional reflections. Today, from the perspective of 92 years of a dignified, hard-working and creative life, we can say that Professor Wincenty Okoń devoted the most energy, time and heart to the development of Polish education and science. In the article, we will follow the Professor's life and his multi-faceted theoretical and research interests.