property for example) and patients with no criminal background (no conviction). Also,
their diagnoses varied from schizophrenic psychoses, other psychoses to (severe or
minor) personality disorders, sometimes in combination with alcohol or drug addiction
(Kobal and Žagar 1994, 266–267).
The DFSP staff consisted of one psychiatrist, one social worker, one senior medical
technician and three nurses.171 Every patient was received by the head of DFSP and the
team. First, the Therapeutic Pact was to be signed, which defined inappropriate
behaviour, including excessive drinking, drug-taking and absconding. In case patients
breached the Therapeutic Pact, all circumstances were investigated and specific
treatment plans could be made. According to Kobal and Žagar (1994, 268–269) it was only
rarely necessary “to proceed to discharge, transfer into one of the closed hospital units,
further intensive hospital treatment or return to the prison”. According to Kondža and
Kobal (2014) each patient had an individual rehabilitation plan. The goal was to
rehabilitate the patient and return him to his home environment as soon as possible.
Dr. Kobal started TCs and dr. Žagar continued them – and added even more TCs: music
therapy, art therapy, recreational therapy, analytical group. Multidirectional
communications were established between the offenders and the medical staff, among
the medical staff and among offenders themselves. In various groups they met daily or
several times a week. There was an analytically oriented group172 for inmates, some
patients were part of music therapy or psychodrama, occupational and recreational
therapy groups, there was one group led by the social worker and one led by medical staff.
Together, staff and patients discussed and agreed on how the ward should function. The
staff also met with relatives or patients’ other relevant persons discussing about “the
circumstances that should be taken into account in their future contact with the offender”
(Kobal and Žagar 1994, 268). During their regular weekly meetings “we also determined
171
In an interview dr. Žagar (2023) said they also had 1/3 psychologist, 1/3 music therapist, 1/3 occupational
therapist, 1/5 or maybe even 1/8 of a recreational therapist.
172 “At the time, I was also doing education in group analytical psychotherapy and we also practiced this for
them, 3 times a week. We sat down together and sat for an hour and a half. It is important that the
therapist encourages the positive that is in the person. It is in everyone, even in these patients. And that we
respected them. You know, this respect, as I looked around abroad... what we were supposed to observe
abroad, we were better than them. They could come here to learn from us. Abroad, the emphasis was on
guarding, protection. But this stank to us, security, because we are not policemen. We are doctors.” (Žagar
2023).
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