Together we can make the dream of reformation come true...

Having paid for their crimes with their youth, the female prisoners now share a common dream of returning home, reintegrating into the community and ensuring their children “don’t go astray like their mother”... And many people have helped them make their dreams come true.

Ms. Huynh Thi Thuy Phuong, Vice President of the Provincial Women's Union, presented gifts to female prisoners with good behavior.

Looking forward to returning home

At Sub-camp No. 1, An Phuoc Prison - Ministry of Public Security (located in Phu Giao district), I had the opportunity to confide in them, the female prisoners who have reformed well. Nguyen Thi L. told about her crime with a bitter smile for a time of mistakes: “I was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for theft. Before that, I was the leader of a gang that specialized in “hot kicking” motorbikes. I have served my sentence for more than 7 years. I wish every day to be released from prison and start my life over. My family has many siblings, but I am the only one who has gone astray, making my parents sad. After returning to my family, I vow to live the most worthy days of my life so that my relatives will not be ashamed of me anymore.”

L. said that after serving her prison sentence and returning home, she could sell food because she had cooking skills or start a small business. More than 7 years was more than enough time for L. to realize her mistakes.

Le Thi TD (27 years old, from Tra Vinh) said that in 2015 she went to Binh Phuoc province to work as a worker. In 2018, she was arrested for buying, selling and using drugs. D. was sentenced to 7 years in prison and has now served nearly 5 years at An Phuoc Prison. Her biggest wish is to return home to find a job to take care of her elderly parents. Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi B. (from Thanh Hoa, registered in Binh Phuoc) was "entered prison" in 2019 for the same crime of buying, selling and using drugs. “My daughter is now 11 years old. The day I was arrested, she went to live with her grandmother. Now my biggest dream is to give my daughter a good education. Only by studying can I escape the temptations like her mother. What I fear most is the discrimination and cold looks from my relatives and the world when I reintegrate into the community. My wish is to understand more about the law, to be introduced to jobs by organizations and local authorities, and to be given loans to do business to raise my child,” Ms. Nguyen Thi B. shared honestly.

Be listened to and helped

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thi Dung, Deputy Head of Division 1, An Phuoc Prison, said: “To help female prisoners, we must be gentle, know how to listen and help them when they need it. Those who are still cared for by their families and visited many times will be greatly comforted. Those who are rejected by their families and relatives are pitiful and need help. We focus on these subjects to learn about and support them. Thanks to that, they gradually lose their complexes, cooperate and get along better, and together reform well to soon be able to reintegrate into the community.”

Over the past year, An Phuoc Prison has also provided a list of 19 juvenile inmates and female inmates who are about to complete their prison sentences to the Provincial Women's Union and the Provincial Youth Union to have a plan to propagate andeducate them about the law, provide career orientation, and introduce them to jobs after returning to their localities to reintegrate into the community.

According to the assessment from the Provincial Police, the implementation of the coordination plan between the Women's Union, the Police, the Provincial Youth Union and An Phuoc Prison on organizing education, reforming young prisoners, female prisoners and helping young men and women who were former prisoners and inmates reintegrate into the community in the period of 2021-2026 has been carried out quite well. In the past time, the units have signed to build support programs for young men and women prisoners serving sentences in prisons, temporary detention camps, and temporary detention centers located in Binh Duong province. The Provincial Police coordinated with An Phuoc Prison to propagate legal education, career orientation, and employment for prisoners after returning to their localities to reintegrate into the community; organized many talk topics with hundreds of prisoners who are about to complete their prison sentences participating. Contents of propaganda, education, legal advice on protecting security, order, social safety, preventing crimes and social evils, maintaining order and safety on roads... In addition, departments also educate and advise on community reintegration, such as: Community reintegration skills, job search skills, job referrals for prisoners.

According to Ms. Huynh Thi Thuy Phuong, Vice President of the Provincial Women's Union, the units also gave gifts, books, distributed about 3,000 leaflets, and provided legal aid to the group of prisoners. The talks by psychological experts have inspired confidence and determination for prisoners who are about to finish their prison sentences to strive to reintegrate into the community. The Provincial Women's Union also organized a thematic talk for 300 female prisoners with the theme "Never give up"; visited and presented gifts to 8 children in the prison's nursery; presented 300 gifts to female prisoners worth over 150 million VND... In addition, the support of units accompanying the Provincial Youth Union is also mentioned, to help prisoners have more determination to pursue their dream of rehabilitation.

There are many more meaningful programs that units coordinate with An Phuoc Prison, organizations, and individuals for prisoners here. We also met many people from Binh Phuoc, Gia Lai, Long An, Ho Chi Minh City... who came here in volunteer programs to give books and necessities to prisoners. These small actions evoke positive thoughts and feelings to help prisoners turn to goodness.

Accompanying the dream of reform in 2023

The provincial police have just coordinated with the provincial Women's Union, the provincial Youth Union and An Phuoc Prison - Ministry of Public Security to organize the program "Accompanying the dream of rehabilitation" in 2023. The program is one of the practical activities to help prisoners reintegrate into the community after being released from prison. This is also an opportunity for prison leaders and correctional officers to listen to the thoughts and aspirations of prisoners to have appropriate education and rehabilitation plans, and at the same time advise prisoners on skills to reintegrate into the community.

On this occasion, the coordinating units implemented a reading culture model in prisons; presented 1,500 books on life skills (photo) and 30 gifts to encourage prisoners to reform well and soon enjoy the lenient policy of the law to reintegrate into the community.

QUYNH NHU

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