We thank Mr Kwan Jin Yao for his letter “Understand, address reasons for recidivism to lower rate” (Jan 29). The prisons population has fallen from 17,000 in the early 2000s to 12,600 last year.
Recidivism rates over the past decade have improved, from close to 40 per cent of the 2000 release cohort, to 27.6 per cent of the 2012 cohort. Many of those who reoffend and return are multiple-timers, with drug offences or drug antecedents.
The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) adopts an evidence-based approach to developing aftercare programmes targeted at inmates of different risk profiles. In prison, the SPS provides in-care programmes to address inmates’ different criminogenic risks and rehabilitation needs.
To facilitate inmates’ reintegration into society, the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises provides vocational training to equip them with industry-relevant skills and works closely with employers to match inmates to jobs upon their release.
Our aftercare programmes were strengthened with the implementation of the Conditional Remission System and the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme last year. These schemes help ex-inmates break the cycle of reoffending.
Under the former, inmates granted remission and released from the two-thirds mark of their sentence will be issued a Conditional Remission Order.
A basic condition of the order, which lasts until the sentence ends, is that they should not be convicted of another offence committed during the remission period and be sentenced to imprisonment for that offence.
If so, the courts may give the ex-inmate an enhanced sentence for breaching the condition, plus the sentence for the new offence.
Also, ex-inmates who need more reintegration support will be placed on the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme, a structured regime that provides tighter supervision and enhanced community support, counselling and case management, for up to two years.
The SPS is committed to continuously improving its in-care and aftercare programmes to help offenders shun crime and reduce reoffending. We will continue to work with families and community partners to support ex-offenders in their rehabilitation journey.
Recidivism rates over the past decade have improved, from close to 40 per cent of the 2000 release cohort, to 27.6 per cent of the 2012 cohort. Many of those who reoffend and return are multiple-timers, with drug offences or drug antecedents.
The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) adopts an evidence-based approach to developing aftercare programmes targeted at inmates of different risk profiles. In prison, the SPS provides in-care programmes to address inmates’ different criminogenic risks and rehabilitation needs.
To facilitate inmates’ reintegration into society, the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises provides vocational training to equip them with industry-relevant skills and works closely with employers to match inmates to jobs upon their release.
Our aftercare programmes were strengthened with the implementation of the Conditional Remission System and the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme last year. These schemes help ex-inmates break the cycle of reoffending.
Under the former, inmates granted remission and released from the two-thirds mark of their sentence will be issued a Conditional Remission Order.
A basic condition of the order, which lasts until the sentence ends, is that they should not be convicted of another offence committed during the remission period and be sentenced to imprisonment for that offence.
If so, the courts may give the ex-inmate an enhanced sentence for breaching the condition, plus the sentence for the new offence.
Also, ex-inmates who need more reintegration support will be placed on the Mandatory Aftercare Scheme, a structured regime that provides tighter supervision and enhanced community support, counselling and case management, for up to two years.
The SPS is committed to continuously improving its in-care and aftercare programmes to help offenders shun crime and reduce reoffending. We will continue to work with families and community partners to support ex-offenders in their rehabilitation journey.
