SINGAPORE: A Bill to allow prison inmates to take on skills training and education outside prison, in addition to working, towards the tail-end of their sentence was passed in Parliament on Tuesday .
Adding that “meaningful employment” would help an ex-offender reintegrate better, Mr Sharael Taha added that society must “be mindful not to dishearten these individuals” by exposing them to discrimination. Mr Thomas also called for more support for elderly ex-offenders returning to society and inmates who have been incarcerated for extended periods of time, as both groups may face greater challenges finding employment.
“Certain jobs such as those in the security sector, or those that require approval from the police to enter restricted areas such as our ports and the airport, are automatically excluded from ex-offenders due to their past convictions,” he said. To increase the chances of job retention and employment in the long run, she called for the Government to consider allocating resources for “medium-to-long term support” after an inmate’s release.Many ex-offenders also need financial support upon release, and would need to work “rather than invest in training and education”, said Mr Choo, and called for a training allowance for inmates who take up training and education under the EmPS.
“If they were to complete their studies and after release, secure a job and do not demonstrate recidivism for a certain period of time, would the Government consider a scheme whereby their student debts can be forgiven?” he added. While people may agree on the need to train and reintegrate ex-offenders into society, it doesn’t necessarily translate into willingness to attend classes or work in the same workplace as them, noted Mr Yip.
“The work to manage negative societal attitudes is endless, but I do hope and urge those in and out of the house today, to address any personal prejudices you come across and help unlock the second prison,” she said. Inmates who are working during the EmPS will have a career coach for up to 12 months to help them adapt to job demands and the workplace environment.“The employer is also supported by the career coach who helps the inmate and employer understand each other’s expectations and perspectives. The career coach engages the employer and the inmate’s supervisor regularly and assists to resolve any work-related issues,” added Assoc Prof Faishal.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: YahooSG - 🏆 3. / 71 Read more »
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »
Source: TODAYonline - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »
Source: TODAYonline - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »
Source: YahooSG - 🏆 3. / 71 Read more »