Competencies and Training of Prison Workers: A Study in Slovene Prisons

Abstract

This article on the competencies and training of prison workers focuses on the self-assessment of the competencies and needs for additional training of prison workers in Slovene prisons. It is based on a survey conducted in 2022, in which 322 prison workers from all prisons, departments and correctional home participated. The participants' responses were analysed using various statistical methods, while a four-step method (editing the material, determining coding units, open coding and selection, and determining relevant concepts and categories) was used for the qualitative analysis of responses to open-ended questions. The results show that prison workers best assess their competence for work in the following fields: 1) communication skills, 2) physical competence, and 3) peaceful conflict resolution. They highlighted the need for additional knowledge in the same fields of competencies, as well as stress management techniques. A comparison of the present study with previous studies in the Slovene prison environment showed that the needs of prison workers for working with imprisoned persons do not change significantly. The analysis of the achieved basic education showed that prior education of prison workers prepared them for work in prison to a lesser extent. In addition, the participants in the study emphasized that the current training system for prison workers needs to be changed in order to offer them more knowledge and competencies for performing demanding work in the prison environment.