Dining during socialism interested both sentenced male and sentenced female prisoners

In the prison for juveniles in Sučany, two expert lectures were held dedicated to the topic of dining during the period of socialism. The lecturer was ethnologist Mgr. Juraj Janto, PhD. from the Faculty of Arts of Comenius University in Bratislava.

The first lecture was intended for sentenced male and sentenced juvenile prisoners placed in the exit unit. Subsequently, a second lecture was held for sentenced female prisoners.

During his presentation, the lecturer introduced the participants to the way of dining during the socialist period, the availability of individual food items, eating habits, and their development in the context of the society of that time. The topic also offered an insight into everyday life and cultural customs of the period, which is a personal experience for part of the participants and for the younger generation is already mainly a part of recent history.

Both lectures were met with interest from the sentenced persons. The meetings also included a discussion, during which the participants had the opportunity to ask questions and react to individual topics.

The implementation of expert lectures and discussions during the prison sentence execution contributes to expanding the knowledge of sentenced persons and simultaneously creates space for meaningful use of free time.

Educational activities during the prison sentence execution have a significant place in the process of preparing sentenced persons for their return to society and also help to reduce the risk of their recidivism. Expanding knowledge, acquiring new skills, and supporting personal development can contribute to the more successful integration of sentenced persons into society after release.