EVERY YEAR an undisclosed number of people are released from Dodds prison and return to Barbadian society. Unfortunately, some of them will be back in jail in short order.
This is why the recent call from criminologist Yolande Forde for more Barbadians to reach out and help ex-convicts as well as the reform institutions for young offenders, should be heeded. In the prevailing economic climate and circumstances where many people are uneasy about crime, extending an olive branch to convicted wrongdoers is not going to be an easy task.
But, after convicts have done their time, every effort should be made to reintegrate them into society. It is universally accepted that re-entry can be particularly difficult, especially for convicts who have had to serve long periods of incarceration and those with heinous crimes to their names. It is human nature not to extend warmth upon their release and we accept that in some instances, there will be fear and anxiety on the part of victims of crime.
A jail sentence is a stigma, and in a small society people can be unforgiving. Without strong family support and marketable skills, ex-offenders face real pressures which can make re-entry difficult if not impossible. These circumstances often lead to repeat offences and a revolving prison door for many.
We need to help in the rebuilding of the lives of men and women who, on completing their jail time, are often ill-equipped to deal with the pressures and hurdles they will face.
This is why the church and the service clubs should lead this initiative for change as Ms Forde recommends. They have the talent pool and available expertise, as well as the ability to establish partnerships with public and private agencies. What the Salvation Army does, while appreciated, must be taken much further.
Ex-convicts need help in rebuilding their lives through the provision of job opportunities, temporary shelter, clothing and food, legal support, mentoring and in some instances drug treatment. Even when such facilities are available, there will still be failures. The situation is, however, made worse when society turns a blind eye but ends up with a costly overcrowded prison of men who see no hope in life.
Ms Forde’s point on the cost of keeping a prisoner, estimated to be $52 600 per inmate annually, cannot be ignored. While figures for a re-entry programme are unavailable, it is likely that the cost will be significantly less. So while the research is done on criminal activity and its root causes with solutions considered to stem such behaviour, Barbadians need to appreciate the importance of extending a second chance. Turning lives around must matter.
