GUESTS of the state, or prisoners, as they are more familiarly called,

are the last category of citizens that are usually remembered, on very special occasions if at all. And the reason is all too well known: they have offended the law, have been proven to have done so, and must therefore suffer the attendant consequences as ordained by law. This means losing their liberty as judicially sanctioned.
It is all too well known of society’s traditional reaction to this unfortunate category – outright indifference, since it is concluded that since a person is in jail, then he/she must have merited such a punishment. Let him/her rot!
The mindset, therefore, is that prisoners are the last category of humans  that should ever be considered, while behind bars. Even after serving one’s time, the stigma is long carried. No mercy must be shown. Call this the retributive approach to judicial punishment; or, the bread and water understanding of prison, for those who are held behind its foreboding walls.
This perception is generally universal, especially in former colonial-era societies. But First Lady, Madame Deolatchmee Ramotar, has an entirely different view of such persons in those sad circumstances.
Beginning on Mother’s Day last, our First Lady created history when she visited the female penitentiary at New Amsterdam where she distributed lunch and gifts to the female inmates there. It was the first such visit to a penal institution by any First Lady of Guyana, and during her visit she interacted with the females, and gave what can be described as a moving address, encouraging inmates to overcome their unfortunate circumstances, as there was still hope for the future. It was an inspiring talk that would have encouraged those females at such a difficult time of their lives.
Now she has repeated the same humane gesture, this time visiting the male inmates at the Region 5 institution,  on the recent occasion of Father’s Day. Not only did she and her Foundation members serve a sumptuous lunch to the state’s guests, but also advised that they could still build a life, and once such was productive, they would inspire people.
Most important, she encouraged that they must not allow their current experiences of prison, to “prevent them from becoming constructive professionals”, adding that “it’s not where you start, but how you finish and I am quite optimistic that you can effect positive changes”. Concluding, she said:  “As fathers , your children will come to you for guidance and you need to step up to the task and play that fatherly role in their lives, because you are the ones who would first recognise their mistake.”
Certainly, this is a departure from the prejudiced view  held of prisoners, that their lives cannot be retrieved once they enter the ‘big yard’. Therefore, First Lady Madame Deolatchmee Ramotar’s ground-breaking engagements of bringing cheer to inmates must be seen as modern and enlightened, that augurs well for reform programmes that are long overdue.
It is no co-incidence that this occurred, against the background of a bill tabled to change the name of the Guyana Prison Service to that of the Guyana Correctional Service, and is inclusive of the Security Reform Strategy, that is already under way.
If this is any indication, this name change conveys the understanding that the system has finally realised that it must depart from the historic culture of retributive penal punishment to a remodelled position of correctional initiatives, designed to prepare the inmate for productive and spiritual re-integration into society.
However, the First Lady’s visits to the New Amsterdam prisons, raises the larger question of society’s attitude towards prisoners, in terms of their perceptions of this person and how he/she must be treated.
It is a given that persons suffer custodial sentences for all manner of reasons; and, whereas many are first offenders, and would usually learn their lessons from such a distressing initial experience, and not re-offend,there is the recidivist type that in most cases gradually gravitate to the most serious levels of criminality.
There is an enduring fact about these persons who end up on the wrong side of the law,  and  that is,  many of them are victims of varyingly mitigating circumstances, ranging from broken homes, insufficient and improper parental guidance of a delinquent type,to  early influence from negative environments. From these factors it is now known that about 75 percent of first-time offenders originate from broken homes; and  about the same number through not having  fathers in their lives. It is not difficult then to appreciate the social fallout from this negative beginning.
So once offenders are committed to a custodial regime, they automatically become the wards of state, which has the responsibility of ensuring their proper, safe and secure keeping, among other mandatory undertakings.
But any penal system must have a rehabilitative and correctional strategy designed  for application to inmates. Losing one’s liberty may be enough for satisfying society’s desire for retribution, but it is the duty of the state to ensure that the latter be made aware of his/her wrongdoing and the impact that such does have on the victim(s), and on society by extension. Above all, there must be acknowledgement of the errors.
Concomitantly, there ought to be  academic programmes for those who are so inclined, and a  skills training initiative for the technical minded. All this must be preparation for the inmate’s eventual release and re-integration  back into society. It is ironic, that  persons who would have served duration of sentences, discovered talents which they were able to develop for their personal, social and economic benefit  after  release. Some famous North American sports personalities are well known examples of this phenomenon.
A particular aspect of persons serving prison sentences that is often overlooked, and which is key to their post-prison life, is their mental mind-set. And this is formed around pre-custodial and actual custodial experiences, and perceptions of the kind of societal reception that awaits him/her on release. Not every inmate adjusts, much less being able to cope, with an environment of incarceration.
This is where the custodial regime must play its vital role, ensuring that the inmate is mentally motivated, and that such capacity be strengthened. This is inclusive of the all-important component of self-esteem, that determines one’s failure or success; or, in a prison environment – survival or going under.
Thus, it can be concluded, that  First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar and her Foundation has indeed set the bar as to how society can contribute to the welfare and rehabilitative process for inmates, generating  hopes for a better future,even after  emerging from such circumstances.
It is time that society depart from its ancient prejudices, and adopt the  selfless example established by our First Lady, in encouraging inmates to believe in themselves.
There is no doubt that progressive-minded stakeholders can contribute immensely to the reform process of those in the nation’s prisons, and their return to society. But such efforts must be matched by a reformed and enlightened correctional service.