As of today, the number of individuals convicted of collaborationist activities in the institutions of the State Criminal-Executive Service of Ukraine is steadily increasing, which makes the task of a comprehensive study of this category of convicts and the development of effective directions for their resocialization particularly relevant. Religiosity and religious affiliation constitute an important component of personal self-identification and significantly influence the motivation of behavioral strategies and the choice of social practices. Despite this, penitentiary institutions currently lack purposeful and structured educational work aimed at explaining the fundamentals of religious security, fostering critical reflection on information disseminated within church structures, preventing manipulative practices in the sphere of religious belief, and promoting religious tolerance. In our view, special attention should be paid to individuals convicted of collaborationist activities, for whom religious belief plays a key role in cognitive strategies that shape their life orientations, civic stance, and attitudes toward state and social institutions.

The purpose of the study is to characterize the religious identity of individuals convicted of collaborationist activities and to examine the influence of their confessional affiliation on the formation of life and political beliefs, with the aim of providing a scientific basis for recommendations on social and educational work with this category of convicts.

The relevance of the topic lies in identifying the relationship between the confessional affiliation of individuals convicted of collaborationist activities and their choice of life strategies; in the need to develop effective rehabilitation and re-education programs for this category of convicts; and in understanding the ways through which the church institutions of the aggressor state may exert a negative influence on the citizens of Ukraine, as well as preventing the further spread of such influence. 

Research methods. The study employed a combination of empirical and theoretical methods. The primary empirical method was a questionnaire survey of individuals convicted of collaborationist activities. To collect primary data, the author developed a questionnaire consisting of 12 questions aimed at determining the respondents’ level of religiosity, their confessional affiliation, awareness of matters of faith, frequency of practical religious experience, as well as their understanding of the influence of information disseminated through church institutions on the formation of their personal civic position. Statistical analysis was used to process and interpret the empirical data, ensuring quantitative generalization of the results, calculation of percentage indicators, and the conduct of comparative analysis.

Conclusions. As a result of the empirical and analytical research, it was found that religious identification remains a significant factor in shaping the worldview of individuals convicted of collaborationist activities. The majority of respondents (70%) identify themselves as believers. At the same time, a considerable proportion of those surveyed (20%) demonstrate a declarative or uncertain position regarding faith, indicating the superficial nature of their religious consciousness. The analysis of age-related characteristics showed that the most religiously active group is individuals aged 45–65, whereas young people under the age of 25 are at the stage of forming their religious identity. This indicates the presence of potential for targeted social and educational influence specifically on the youth audience.

The confessional structure of the respondents is relatively homogeneous: Christian identity predominates, with Orthodoxy prevailing, while representatives of other denominations constitute a negligible share. This necessitates consideration of the Christian religious context when organizing social and educational work. It was established that among believers, individuals with secondary specialized and higher education prevail. At the same time, the level of religious education and the depth of religious knowledge remain relatively low.

The analysis of the influence of religion on political and civic attitudes showed that only a small proportion of respondents are aware of the impact of religious beliefs on their attitudes toward political and social processes in the state. This indicates a low level of reflection regarding the potential manipulative influence of religious institutions in the context of war. Summarizing the research findings, it can be stated that for the majority of respondents, religion functions primarily as an element of personal identity but is rarely perceived as a factor capable of influencing civic positions and socio-political decisions. The identified features confirm the relevance of in-depth social, educational, and corrective work, particularly with individuals convicted of collaborationist activities, taking into account the level of their religious knowledge, worldview orientations, and potential vulnerability to ideological influences.

Key words: corrective work, convicts, collaborationism, religious identity, confessional characteristics.

References

1. Chornopyska, V. (2023), “The phenomenon of religious identity: philosophical and legal construction of meaning”, Bulletin of Lviv Polytechnic National University. Series: Legal Sciences, Vol. 10, No. 3 (39), pp. 51–56.
2. Heida, O. (2025), “Clergy accused or convicted of high treason and justification of armed aggression against Ukraine: a sociological analysis”, Scientific Herald of Sivershchyna. Series: Education. Social and Behavioural Sciences, № 1 (14), рр. 31–50.
3. In Ukraine more than 8 000 cases of collaborationism: what is wrong with them? Human rights defenders’ report summarized, аvailable at: https://zmina.ua/media/v-ukrayini-uzhe-ponad-8-tysyach-sprav-pro-kolaboraczionizm-shho-z-nymy-ne-tak-perekazuyemo-zvit-pravozahysnykiv/ (accessed 30 January 2026).
4. Pysmenskyi, Ye. O. (2020), Collaborationism as a socio-political phenomenon in Ukraine (criminal law aspects) : scientific essay, Sievierodonetsk, аvailable at: https://www.academia.edu/44357585 (accessed 12 January 2026).
5. Somin, S. V. and Komashko, V. V. (2023), “The modern paradigm of collaborationism in the conditions of the russian invasion of Ukraine: a historical and legal analysis”, Law and Public Administration, № 4, рр. 194–201.
6. Herkula, N. (2025), “The personality of a collaborator: trends identified in the third year of the full-scale invasion”, Uzhhorod National University Herald. Series: Law, Iss. 90, Part 4, рр. 19–25.