KAJANG: The stigma of being a former prisoner causes them to often be sidelined by society even though they have served their sentences for their past mistakes.
Kajang Prison director Mohd Roslen Ramli said the community's attitude and disposition towards released prisoners made it difficult for some of them to change, and some even fell back into old habits.
"Yes, they have committed crimes and ended up behind bars, but that is not a ticket for us to continue punishing them. It's this kind of attitude that can land a person back in jail.
"For example, if an ex-convict who was sentenced to prison for theft and has been released, but society continues to marginalise him, this can cause him to fall back into stealing activities.
"Here (in Kajang Prison) there are repeat offenders who have been in and out of prison for repeating old mistakes," he told Bernama when met at Kajang Prison recently.
In that regard, Roslen said the Prisons Department would continue raising public awareness and improving social acceptance in supporting the reintegration of ex-offenders.
While in prison, every prisoner undergoes a rehabilitation process that includes spiritual aspects, he said.
"Besides that, they are also given training and skills in a certain career field. Therefore, the community should play a role by providing space and opportunities for them to contribute something to the community and continue a normal life," he added.
Roslen said prison also provided these prisoners with facilities such as computers and internet access to continue their studies.
He said that in these challenging times, prison authorities realised that skills gained in prison including sewing were not enough for them to get better jobs after their release.
"Therefore, these prisoners are encouraged to continue their education in a field that will increase their chances of getting a job," he added. — Bernama