Examining the spirituality levels of prisoners (The case of Kütahya probation directorate)

The roots of criminal behavior are based on many individual, social and psychological factors, and this field constitutes an important research topic within the discipline of forensic psychology. In modern penal systems, imprisonment serves not only for the purpose of punishment, but also for general and specific preventive purposes such as preventing prisoners from committing crimes again, protecting the society from crimes, ensuring the reintegration of prisoners into society and helping them develop a sense of responsibility that respects social norms. These goals are achieved through training and improvement activities through penal institutions and probation directorates. This study aims to contribute to the adoption of a correct and effective approach and to meet the needs and expectations in this field by determining the importance and social function of spiritual counseling and guidance services for prisoners. In this context, this research, conducted between May and September 2024 on 311 defendants, suspects and convicts in the Kütahya Probation Directorate, aims to examine the spirituality levels of the prisoners. In the research, general survey model, one of the quantitative research designs, was used. During the data collection process, the "Spirituality Scale" developed by Şirin (2018) was used and the obtained data was analyzed using computer package programs. The results of the research show that prisoners' perceptions of spirituality are at a high level in the context of the scale. These findings emphasize the importance of spiritual support services for prisoners and contribute to the development of practices in this field.