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REHAB EDICTS GOES TO SCHOOLS
 Students of Nasinu Secondary School at Nacocolevu. THE Prisons Department has taken a stance to no longer reactive in just rehabilitating prisoners. Department spokesman Fred Elbourne confirmed that they were now going to be proactive as well, targeting "crime hot spots" and schools to prevent crime. He said schools in the Nasinu area such as Nasinu Secondary School and Kalabu High School had the opportunity to visit the Naboro Prison. Current statistics reveal that of the 1150 inmates ù 79 per cent or 908 were itaukei, 932 were Christian, 518 were between the ages of 19 and 30 and 747 were serving sentences of less than a year. By bringing in students, the department hoped they would go back to their communities with messages to deter fellow students from falling into criminal activity. The department has already engaged the church and the vanua in other rehabilitation efforts. This includes initiatives like the provision of land to those who completed prison sentences. It also ventured into other commercial activities in the hope of teaching new skills to prisoners and preparing them for life after prison. The inititive is part of the Yellow Ribbon Project (YRP) adopted by the service. The Prisons Service says the project on a model adapted from Singapore and was "conceived out of the need to offer forgiveness and a second chance to ex-offenders". The inaugural launch of the project was held on June 27, 2008 in preparation for the major launch on October 11, when Fiji hosts the Heads of the Pacific Islands Correctional. Fiji Times. |
Fiji Corrections Service
The successful reintegration of offenders into the community is the best security for society.
The successful reintegration of offenders into the community is the best security for society.
