Give a chance to those who have gone astray.

In addition to providing job information and vocational training support, counseling classes at detention centers also open up opportunities for reintegration for inmates nearing the end of their sentences.

Over 100 inmates at Detention Center No. 1 received information about the labor market, loan policies, and vocational training opportunities after their release.

Open the way back by doing.

In mid-May, at the auditorium of Detention Center No. 1, Ho Chi Minh City Police, more than 100 inmates attentively listened to information about the labor market, loan policies, and vocational training opportunities after their release. The atmosphere of the counseling session was intimate and open, like a conversation about the future and opportunities to rebuild their lives.

Inmate Nguyen Van H. continuously recorded job postings in the mechanical and industrial electrical engineering fields. In just over a month, H. will complete his prison sentence after nearly four years of rehabilitation.

H. stated that in the past, due to a lack of understanding and associating with bad friends, he committed crimes. In the early days in prison, H. felt ashamed and worried about not being accepted back into his hometown. “What I worried about most was not having a job. If I were unemployed, it would be easy to become discouraged and fall back into bad habits. But after receiving counseling from the officers and learning that many businesses were short of workers, I felt more at ease,” H. said.

Like H., Ng. HL, who is currently serving his sentence at Detention Center No. 2, said that after receiving advice on the labor market and the recruitment needs of businesses, he feels less pressure about his future after his release from prison this coming July.

"After returning home, I will apply for a job at a company near my house to earn extra income to help support my family," L. shared.

The stories of H. and L. reflect the common sentiments of many inmates nearing the end of their sentences. What they need is not only sympathy but also job opportunities to stabilize their lives and start over.

Working together to reduce recidivism

From the beginning of 2025 until now, functional units in the city have organized approximately 10 counseling and job placement sessions for inmates preparing to complete their sentences. Specifically, from March 2026 until now, Detention Centers No. 1 and No. 2 have coordinated to organize two career guidance and reintegration support programs for approximately 200 inmates.

In these programs, inmates are provided with information about the labor market and recruitment needs; advised on choosing suitable professions based on their abilities and circumstances; and introduced to effective production and business models for reference after returning to their localities.

In addition to coordinating with the city's Employment Service Center to provide counseling and job placement services, prison units also cooperate with the Social Policy Bank branch in Hai Phong to disseminate policies on loans for vocational training and job creation after rehabilitation. Bank officials directly guide the procedures for obtaining preferential loans so that those who have completed their prison sentences have the opportunity to open small production facilities or learn a trade.

Mr. Ho Hai, Deputy Director of the City's Employment Service Center, said that the city pays special attention to providing employment for those who have completed their prison sentences. Functional units are strengthening connections with businesses, expanding recruitment information channels, and coordinating with local police to support post-rehabilitation individuals in stabilizing their lives.

"Many businesses are now willing to expand job opportunities for people who have made mistakes in the past if they have the will to improve. When they have a job and a stable income, they will reduce the risk of reoffending," Mr. Hai said.

According to Mr. Hai, in addition to job placement services, the center also guides inmates on how to access legitimate recruitment channels, warns them about fraudulent job placement schemes, and advises them on interview skills and adapting to a new work environment.

According to a representative from the leadership of Detention Center No. 1, Ho Chi Minh City Police, the current work of educating and rehabilitating prisoners focuses not only on compliance with regulations but also on supporting their reintegration into the community. When prisoners have career guidance and faith in the future, the rehabilitation process becomes more effective.

In the coming period, the Hai Phong Employment Service Center will continue to coordinate with police units and businesses to expand career counseling and recruitment connection programs for those who have completed their prison sentences; at the same time, it will strengthen free job information support to help them stabilize their lives as soon as possible.

TRUONG HA

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/trao-co-hoi-cho-nguoi-lam-lo-544214.html