New Way – resocialization on the Camino de Santiago

Abstract

Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James, is a pilgrimage route which has existed for more than 1,000 years and leads to the Shrine of St. James in Santiago de Compostela. Currently, it is the best-known pilgrimage and cultural route in Europe. It is often referred to as the “most beautiful road in the world” or the “main street in Europe”. The Way of St. James has been used in prisoner resocialization schemes for many years in Western Europe and since 2013 also in Poland. “New Way” is an innovative project consisting of a two-week pilgrimage of a prisoner who straight from the penitentiary sets out along with the guardian on the Way of St. Jakub from Lublin to Krakow. The aim of the program is to change a young person who, while walking for more than 400 km along Camino de Santiago, has a lot of time to think about his previous life. The task of the guardian is to offer assistance and individual work with the prisoner. Great importance in the project is attributed to the meetings of the prisoner with residents and pastors, who often help on the pilgrimage. An important element of the „New Way” is also to provide young person, after completing the Camino, study of professional competence, referral to an internship and then help in finding a job.