PANDEMIA W INSTYTUCJI TOTALNEJ NA PRZYKŁADZIE KRAJOWEGO OŚRODKA ZAPOBIEGANIA ZACHOWANIOM DYSSOCJALNYM W GOSTYNINIE

Abstract

The concept of a total institution was formulated by Erving Goffman in the early 1960s. The author defined it as a place of isolation from the society, whose bureaucratic and formalized structure distracts – with the support of the employed staff – the inmates from the society. The sociologist included into the group of total institutions psychiatric hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, as well as concentration camps, which met with criticism. He also noticed that the stay in the institution itself may generate inappropriate behaviour of the inmates, resulting from their detention. The concept, despite its shortcomings, remains valid until this day. In the 21st century there exist organizations that may be described as total institutions. An example is the National Centre for the Prevention of the Antisocial Behaviour in Gostynin, Poland, where people who pose a threat to the society are placed. The author of the article identifies the features that prove the totality of the aforementioned National Centre. He analyzes how certain legal deficiencies and bad practices in applying the law affect the disregard for the constitutional freedoms and rights of inmates and describes the difficulties in the functioning of this facility, which are also important from the perspective of the employees. He suggests solutions that could improve the functioning of the Centre and restore the minimum conditions for conducting the therapy.