Currently the recidivism rate in Ukraine. This indicates failure to achieve the goal of punishment – correction of the convict. The purpose of the article is to research the problems of resocialization of convicts, taking into consideration the psychological characteristics of the person serving the sentence. The subject of research: the subject of research is the resocialization of convicts. The following scientific methods were used to study the international experience of resocialization of convicts, to prove the hypotheses, to formulate conclusions: dialectical method, monographic method, logical method, comparative method, generalization method, system and structural method. The results of the research: it was found out that serving a certain term of imprisonment or life imprisonment affects convicts and leads to a change in their psychology in completely different ways. It is proved that the process of resocialization should be set up during the selection of convict’s type and size of punishment (taking into account the circumstances of the case, the perpetrator personality and criminogenic risks that may contribute to recidivism), continue during punishment (using training, work and communication, and providing psychological support to overcome possible psychological crises) and finish after the release from penitentiary institutions (with control over the released, employment assistance or the provision of temporary residence).

In the early 21st century, the concepts and theories which constitute the theoretical and methodological foundation of the traditional 20th century resocialization pedagogy (divided into three basic groups characterized by different theoretical and methodological approaches) got largely outdated. Therefore, contemporary resocialization pedagogy searches for new inspirations. What can become one of the new theoretical- methodological concepts is creative resocialization. The presented study concerns the assumptions of both the traditional resocialization pedagogy and its new varieties, with special focus on traditional and current theoretical and methodological contexts.