Although the term "bibliotherapy" has been in use for a long period of time and there is numerous knowledge of its effects, there is still no unified definition that affirmed this form of treatment, help and support. Due to this, there is a large discrepancy between professions that place bibliotherapy under their jurisdiction, as well as the classification of the same. Therefore, this work aimed considering the history of bibliotherapy and analyzing the potential of its application in the prison systems as a resource that is often overlooked although it exists within each correctional institution. Accordingly, this paper analyzes the development of prison libraries around the world and in Croatia, as well as numerous bibliotherapy and reading projects and programs that have been for a longer period of time successfully conducted in the world's prison systems. As a partial result of this preview highlights the fact that in the correctional systems can survive only that bibliotherapy and reading programs which have a clearly defined external source of funding, a developed inter-institutional cooperation and are incurred as part of the NGO sector. Given the proven effectiveness in reducing recidivism rates, these guidelines for introducing bibliotherapy programs in the correctional systems are important for Croatia because it has only recently begun to recognize this form of treatment, help, and support as efficient and cost effective through a program of guided reading with prisoners and reading program for parents and children in prisons, which are also shown in this paper. As from 2005 onwards, rehabilitation established its foundation in the Croatian correctional system through the development of numerous special educational development programs treatments, bibliotherapy should be implemented in the neutral area treatments or treatments that are currently a problem and require a cost-effective and long-lasting solution.