Sharjah, March 11: Prisoners at Sharjah Rehabilitation and Punitive Establishments will be offered rehabilitation programmes during their sentence period to ensure they are better citizens once they are out of jail.
Various ambitious projects will be implemented to ensure better training and rehabilitation programmes will be offered to inmates.
This comes as part of a programme titled ‘Take my hand’ that was prepared by the Punitive Establishment in cooperation with the Pioneer Office (Reyada) affiliated to Her Highness Shaikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. The programme aims at supporting crime victims while activating social work amongst the inmates to ensure they support their families and become productive members of the society.
Major General Humaid Mohamed Al Hadidi, Chief of Sharjah Police has given instructions to implement the programme.
Work has already started in three main projects including an educating and training institute that is located at a two-floor building located nearby the Punitive Establishment in the Al Ramtha area.
The institute comprises various halls where training for skilled trades can take place including carpentry and electronic equipment repair amongst others. A theatre and workshops compound will also be located at the institute.
Major Al Hadidi attested the formation of a committee that can supervise the project that will be headed by Colonel Abdullah Mubarak Al Dokhan, Deputy Director of Sharjah Police.
The committee running the show will include psychologists.
The committee will take care of the psychological, medical and social status of the inmates while offering a three-month rehabilitation programme.
The families of the inmates will also be supported while following up with their condition during inmate’s sentence period.
The programme mainly aims at improving the surrounding environment of the Rehabilitation and Punitive Establishments to ensure inmates are educated about the various professions that can help them earn a living after they are released.
The programme will also ensure that inmates will not commit other crimes once they are released. Colonel Sami Hareb Al Munzeri, Director of the Rehabilitation and Punitive Establishment said various steps are taken into consideration while receiving an inmate who will be first go through a medical checkup.
“The social worker will prepare a more detailed study about the inmate and ascertain the main reasons that led him to commit a crime. Inmates will be categorised according to the seriousness of the crime committed, age, medical status and whether they were involved in other crimes.”
Colonel Al Munzeri said an inmate suffering from a mental or psychological problem will not go through occupational rehabilitation as they can harm themselves and other inmates.
“An illiterate inmate will be offered an educational programme while a poor inmate will be offered an occupational rehabilitation to ensure he can find an occupation to earn a living from,” Colonel Al Munzeri said.
“Through the various rehabilitation programmes we hope we can drastically change the personality and the attitude of the inmates. We work hard to ensure and prove that the rehabilitation programmes are positively contributing to improving the inmate’s life.”
–Agencies