Literature about prisons is dealing with issues concerning prison officers very rarely, since attention is usually paid to inmates. Therefore, this work is addressing prison officers and their perception of inmates. By means of semi-standardized interviews, key sources and kinds of information were discovered. These aspects are crucial for prison officers to develop their attitude about inmates with focus on category of guilt. Prison officer's approach and inmate's approach arose as dynamic categories changing according to the certain circumstances, which are described in individual subchapters in more detail, and also according to time. Differences were noticed not only among prisons, but also among positions of uniformed staff (escorts, wardens and guards). Since this issue is overlooked, but essential for gaining awareness, understanding and improving situation in prisons, it is crucial to do more researches on it.

Delivered through the medium of a Community of Philosophical Inquiry, this thesis outlines the experience of engaging prisoners in philosophical conversation, thereby articulat-ing the relevance of this type of education for those in long-term confinement. The research, which took place in two prisons, explores the role of prison education, community dialogue and active philosophising in encouraging personal development. With similar populations but contrasting characters, HMPs Grendon and Full Sutton provided the backdrop to grounded, ethnographically-led research. The research design reflects the exploratory nature of the approach. Derek Layder’s adaptive theory has provided a methodological framework, whilst the theoretical framework draws on desistance literature, prison sociology, and philosophical pedagogy to enhance and develop understanding of the emergent themes. However, as a criminological piece of research, it sits within the criminological, and more specifically, prison sociological paradigm. The thesis culminates in a discussion of personal development that articulates the role of education in developing growth identities among prisoner-participants. The research de-scribes the role of philosophical dialogue in developing trust and relationships between and among the participants; the relevance of this type of education to prisoners’ psychological wellbeing; and the significance of the subject-matter to participants’ perspectives. The thesis argues that prison promotes the formation of a hyper-masculine ‘survival’ identity. It goes on to argue that education, and more specifically philosophy education, can play a role in culti-vating growth identities that encourage personal exploration, self-reflection, and development of new interests and skills among prisoners.

The Diploma Thesis deals with the description of the facts and activities related to the proclamation of the Gospel in the prison environment. It refers to the historical development of penitentiary from the prison early days to the present time. It describes the ways to provide spiritual service in recent prison environment, the activities of the associations of Prison Religious Care (PRC) and Prison Religious Service (PRS). It provides the overview of mutual relationships among these orga-nisations and the Prison (Penitentiary) Service of the Czech Republic, and at the same time it gives legal standards regulating the provision of spiritual services on the territory of the Czech Republic. It provides a complete view of activities of a prison chaplain and introduces his competences to the reader. The research section is focused on findings what kinds of the most serious current problems accompanies the process of evangelization in current Czech prison environment and which solutions of existing problems are suggested by involved experts.