Female inmates tour Sharjah Aquarium as part of rehab efforts
Part of year-round programme to help reintegrate offenders back into society
Sharjah: Inmates from the Sharjah Punitive and Rehabilitation Centre got an opportunity to tour Sharjah Aquarium this week as part of year-round reformative programmes to lead them away from a life of crime after their release.
The supervised tour was a reward for good behaviour and took place on Monday.
“I didn’t expect to be able to walk outside of jail without chains before my term ends. It was a nice visit and I’m grateful to the facility’s staff,” said an Indonesian inmate.
Another added: “The wardens didn’t tell us about the trip until we reached here, it’s like a miracle.”
Brigadier Ahmad Abdul Aziz Al Suhail, director-general of the Sharjah Punitive and Rehabilitation Centre, said: “We are so happy to see the inmates have fun and enjoy their time. This will help them in the rehabilitation process to reunite them with society.
The prison demands a respectful relationship between prisoners and guards. Life inside prison needs to resemble life outside, as much as security considerations and resources allow. The more gradual the transformation from imprisonment to freedom, the better the chances of not committing crimes again.
“The prison demands a respectful relationship between prisoners and guards. Life inside prison needs to resemble life outside, as much as security considerations and resources allow. The more gradual the transformation from imprisonment to freedom, the better the chances of not committing crimes again,” he added.
The visit was organised by Sharjah Police in cooperation with Sharjah Museums Authority.
Captain Khalfan Salem Bin Shaqwa, director of the Educational and Rehabilitation branch, said, “It basically boosts the self-esteem of inmates when they get involved in different activities, and upon release, they would work hard at doing something tremendous with their lives because they know the importance of family. We offer them a number of programmes and cater to all nationalities.
“It is our duty to also follow up on those who have been released and make sure they are doing all right. We try as much as we can, with outside partners, of course, to help them become contributing members of society by cooperating with them and helping them find jobs,” he added.
The facility’s rehabilitation programmes not only focus on inmates but also their families.
On Tuesday the Sharjah Punitive and Rehabilitation Centre organised a trip to Sharjah Discovery Centre for the children of inmates.
The trip aimed to instill hope as part of the ‘Sanad Families Programme’ to help families while their breadwinner is in jail.