Telangana prisons dept launches initiative for ex-prisoners

The Telangana Prisons department has launched an initiative to help the ex-prisoners to lead a normal life and not fall back upon the life of crime, a top official said today.

"We have started 'Aftercare Service' teams in all the jails, who will approach the ex-prisoners and other stakeholders in the society in order to stop repeat offenders by helping them in not coming back to jail.

The concept also facilitates ex-prisoners in getting loan, jobs," Director General (Prisons and Correctional Services) V K Singh told reporters here.

"The objective is to facilitate and help the ex-prisoners lead their normal life and not fall back upon the life of crime.

The ultimate aim is to empty the jails and 'Aftercare Services' is one of the mechanism," Singh said.

Referring to a data on repeat offenders, the Telangana Prisons Chief said the arrival of repeat offenders in jails is still continuing inspite of the department's best efforts.

"We want to reduce it to zero. Almost 80 per cent of the offenders and prisoners are first timers.

We have to spread awareness among the people so that they do not commit any offence," he said adding the jail officials have records of those who have been released and 20 per cent of them can be repeat offenders and more focus needs to be given to them.

The Telangana Prisons department known for its several social service initiatives, has also started a massive social awareness campaign to bring about a change by involving citizens and is in the process of forming groups of conscientious people at district, mandal and village levels, Singh said.

The objectives of the social movement are to curb illiteracy and reaching every child including school dropouts, make all villages dispute free by spreading spirit of mutual consultations and legal literacy and strengthening democracy etc, Singh explained.

"I expect that our social movement or social campaign will bring about visible results in the villages in a year.

I appeal to all well-meaning persons to join this movement and build happy and healthy Telangana," he added.