The term „bibliotherapy“ means any planned and methodologically prepared use of literary works as an auxiliary method in psychotherapy. It is most often performed in clinical conditions under the guidance of psychologists and psychiatrists. But in a broader sense, bibliotherapy is a guided reading that can serve in various situations and be carried out in various institutions – schools, homes for the elderly and infirm, homes for children with disabilities, prisons, etc. In the latter case, it is most often led by librarians or a team of experts. Although the use of bibliotherapy literature is very old, there is still no unified definition to affirm this form of help and support. This paper will show the history of bibliotherapy and will consider its application in prison systems, where such rehabilitation is still not sufficiently developed, especially in Croatia. Prison libraries in the world and the situation in Croatia will be analyzed. The guidelines governing librarianship in prison libraries will be mentioned, as well as the rights of prisoners to read, but also books that are forbidden to them and the reasons for their ban. Examples of good practice will also be given, ie successfully implemented projects in the world prison systems. Given that efficiency in reducing the recidivism rate has been demonstrated, the introduction of a bibliotherapy program in prisons is important for the Republic of Croatia, which has recently started to provide this form of treatment through the Guided Reading Program with Prisoners and the Reading Program for Parents and Children, which will also be mentioned in the paper as an incentive to continue such practices and to find a long-term solution that should be implemented in prison systems.