THE Guyana Government has recently concluded a training programme for prisoners with a view to facilitating easier integration into society after they have completed their term of imprisonment. This is indeed a commendable gesture on the part of the government given the fact that there are many persons who would have found themselves in jail for reasons for which they later regretted. Many of those were convicted for what could be regarded as ‘minor’ offences and for what is described as ‘crimes of passion’.

Eight hundred and sixty-one inmates housed at Mazaruni, New Amsterdam, Camp Street and Timehri Prisons were awarded Certificates of Participation after successfully completing training in several skill areas. A wide variety of courses were offered such as entrepreneurship, carpentry, joinery, tailoring, culinary arts, art and craft, cosmetology, barbering, crops husbandry and anger management. Among those who received certificates were high profile and convicted prisoners. The thinking behind such training is that inmates can potentially be reformed, rehabilitated and given another shot at leading productive lives after serving their sentences.

According to Director of Prisons (ag), Nicklon Elliot, the prison service has an obligation and a mandate to provide prisoners with skills in order to facilitate their reintegration into society and to become better citizens. This is expected to be an ongoing exercise. In May 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs Citizen Security Strengthening Programme in collaboration with the Avasant Foundation of the United States conducted a 15-week Digital Skills Training Programme for inmates of the New Amsterdam Prison. The programme was funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) with the objective of aiding the rehabilitation and social transformation of inmates upon their return to society. The inmates received training in Web Design and Development, Entrepreneurship, Office Management, Leadership Skills, Social Behaviour, Customer Service, Communications, Sales and Marketing, Mathematics and English.

The Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Guyana Prison Service is on a course to improve the image of the organisation. The overall objective is to reduce the propensity of inmates to repeat past mistakes in life and to allow for an easier and more successful re-integration into society upon their release.

These developments have to be seen within the much broader framework aimed at creating a safe and secure environment while at the same time seeking to modernise the policing and justice system in the country.  Last year, a total of 22.2 billion dollars were earmarked in the National Budget for the Home Affairs Ministry out of which $5 billion were allocated to enhance the operations of the Guyana Prison Services. A sum of $50 million was allocated to training inmates in a variety of skills.

One of the courses offered, Anger Management, is especially relevant not only for prisoners but for members of the wider society. It is a psycho-therapeutic treatment for anger prevention and control. Very often harmful things are done or said out of frustration or a feeling of being denied or deprived of something a person felt important to him or her. These are impulsive actions with unintended consequences including inflicting injury on others which could result in imprisonment. According to medical experts, anger is a completely normal, usually healthy human emotion but when allowed to get out of control it can turn violent and lead to destructive consequences, including breaking the law. Hence, the importance of managing anger in socially approved ways and without coming into conflict with the law.

And according to Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, his ministry is in the process of devising a programme called “A Fresh Start” aimed at bolstering efforts to rehabilitate prisoners and to provide them with the requisite skills for their re-integration into society. The programme is aimed at providing a toolkit with the basic items which will be made available to persons leaving the prison system.  These and the other measures implemented by the government will go a far way in terms of reducing recidivism rates, which is a tendency for inmates to return to a life of crime on their release from jail. There is apparently no available recent statistic in Guyana as to the exact rate of recidivism, but the rate in some countries, including the United States, is relatively high.

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali had announced a range of measures in the pipeline not only to fight crime but also to reform the lives of criminals in Guyana. According to the President, ‘once you want to change your life, we want a discussion with you. We want to talk to you to give you an alternative pathway to earning a living and a decent life. The life of crime is short-lived, you may have in your head short-term glory, but it’s short-lived. We want to work with you in giving you a better option in life.’

These are indeed forward looking/thinking in terms of re-integrating those who, for whatever reason or reasons, broke the law and faced imprisonment and who are now genuinely seeking a new pathway to earning a living upon release.