Director Corporate Services Peniasi Kunatuba during his presentation to students of FNU.

Families, neighbours, employers and the community at large hold the key to the second prison, students and staff of the Fiji National University’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences were told.

In his presentation, FCS Director Corporate Services Peniasi Kunatuba said the second prison is normally the stigma attached to imprisonment that deprives ex-offenders of a good life.

He explained that all inmates, upon their admission, have to undergo rehabilitation as stipulated in the Corrections Act.

The FCS rehabilitation framework is four-phased including Discipline, Personal or Behavioural Enhancement, Up-skilling and Community Programmes which allows serving inmates to be assisted in their reintegration back into society.

The first phase he said, involves foot drills and prison rules and procedures; phase two is when inmates undergo specifically-tailored programmes that addresses their offending behavior. These include workshops on Substance Abuse, Anger Management and Purpose of Life.

Phase three involves up-skilling of inmates which includes academic and vocational classes aimed at equipping them with life-long skills so that they are able to sustain themselves once they get out of prison.

The fourth and final phase includes programmes like job placement where inmates are employed with willing employment providers while serving their terms at the same time. 

www.corrections.org.fj

Other February 2012 News