Help the wrongdoer to reform

(Baonghean) - There was a time when their lives were in darkness. But thanks to the encouragement of their families and the sympathy of society, they overcame their inferiority complex to become honest people. Although the path to reformation was not always smooth, with the determination to rebuild their lives, they became useful citizens to society.

Find the good path

Having been imprisoned twice for intentionally causing injury, gambling and property destruction, Phan Trong Luong's life (in hamlet 4, Dong Thanh commune, Yen Thanh) seemed to have come to an end. But thanks to the encouragement of his family and the care of the local government... he has changed...

Hung Chau seafood processing facility in Dien Ngoc commune (Dien Chau).

On the day he left the camp, he had nothing but two empty hands, while his friends of the same age now had stable jobs and a happy family life. Mr. Luong "longed" to start his life over. Luckily, the local government allowed him to receive nearly 100 hectares of chestnut forest to plant and protect. At first, due to lack of experience, he encountered many difficulties. But through that, he saw the value of honest labor. Overcoming all difficulties, after 5 years, the chestnut forest generated an income of about 300 million VND/year. He boldly applied to the commune to contract 800 hectares of Ve Vung dam reservoir to raise fish and invest capital to open a restaurant, renovate the landscape, creating momentum for the development of eco-tourism.

From planting forests, exploiting aquatic products and running restaurants, he has earned more than 800 million VND/year. Currently, his facility is creating jobs for 20 workers with the lowest income from 2.2 million VND, to 10 million VND/person/month... "Everyone who has made a mistake wants to be a good person, to return to being a normal citizen, what they need most is the sharing and help of their family and society to have more faith in life. Hopefully, the work of reintegrating into the community will create many conditions for people who have made a mistake like me to erase their inferiority complex, rise up and rebuild their lives" - Mr. Luong expressed.

In Nghi Thuy ward (Cua Lo town), everyone admires Nguyen Dinh Khang (born in 1965) because he overcame his mistakes to reform and become rich legitimately... More than 15 years ago, when he left prison, he felt lonely, lost and guilty towards the community because what he had done before had affected his parents, relatives and friends. With the encouragement of everyone, especially his wife, he borrowed money to open a shoe stall at Hom market.

After a while, he went to Hanoi to work for hire, looking for production models to start a business. In 2009, he returned to his hometown to open a factory producing high-quality Long Van lime paint. Thanks to his determination and reputation in business, Mr. Khang's facility soon dominated the market and grew day by day. Up to now, each year the facility produces 1,000 - 1,200 tons of products to supply nearly 100 large and small agents in the provinces from Ninh Binh to Quang Binh; creating stable jobs for 15 regular workers, 3 - 4 seasonal workers with a stable salary of 3.5 - 6.5 million VND/person/month.

Not only good at economics, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Khang is also one of the active participants in social, humanitarian and charitable activities in the locality. In particular, he was honored to be elected by the Party Committee, government and people as a member of the Executive Committee of the Farmers' Association of Nghi Thuy Ward and Head of the Farmers' Association of the block. In 2012, he was admitted to the Party and honored in the Campaign "Studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh". At the end of 2014, he was honored to be a delegate attending the Conference to commend typical models and individuals in implementing community reintegration for people who have completed their prison sentences organized by the Ministry of Public Security in Hanoi.

Bridge to reformation

Recognizing the role of community reintegration for those who have completed their prison sentences, local Party committees and authorities have had many policies and strategies to encourage the participation of agencies, unions, social organizations, businesses, and communities in helping those who have completed their prison sentences return to their localities.

Dien Ngoc (Dien Chau) is one of the localities that has done well in this work. In the face of increasing social evils in the locality, especially the number of people who have completed their prison sentences and are unemployed, easily returning to their old ways, since 2009, the Party Committee and the communal government have established a Steering Committee to build a model of "Joining hands to catch and process seafood". The core of the model is to encourage and motivate those who have made mistakes to reintegrate into the community, boldly borrow capital to do business, buy large boats to go out to sea. However, to do that is not simple. Because most ship owners as well as units and businesses always have thoughts, feelings of reserve and fear when accepting people who have served their prison sentences. For the model to be effective, the Party Committee and the communal government have encouraged and motivated boat owners to accept workers who have made mistakes to reintegrate into the community to work, helping them have a stable income. Through mobilization work, the whole commune has 4 ship owners and 1 seafood processing facility that has hired 20 people who have completed their prison terms to work with an average income of 3.5 - 5 million VND/month.

In addition, Dien Ngoc commune also directed the Youth Union to establish a "Friend Help Club" with 15 members who have completed their prison sentences. The form of operation is to coordinate propaganda, mobilize, and help those who have made mistakes to do business, participate in social activities, etc. In addition, the commune also takes on the role of a credit organization for 8 people who have made mistakes to borrow money from banks, invest in production and business. A typical example is Mr. Cao Duc Hien (in Yen Quang hamlet), who had to serve a prison sentence for intentionally causing injury, borrowed 100 million VND from the Social Policy Bank to upgrade his boat and fish for a long time at sea. Currently, Mr. Hien's boat is creating jobs for 18-20 workers, including 4 people who have served their prison sentences and returned to the community. That is Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, owner of Hung Chau seafood processing facility, creating jobs for 3 people who have completed their prison sentences.

According to the survey results from 2008 to present, in Thai Hoa Town, there are 427 people who have completed their prison sentences and returned to their locality to live, many of whom continue to re-offend. Faced with this situation, at the end of 2013, the Town People's Committee built a model of "Eliminating inferiority complex, making people smile, helping people who have made mistakes". After more than 1 year of implementing the work of reintegrating into the community for people who have completed their prison sentences, 342/427 people who have made mistakes have reintegrated into the community, eliminated their inferiority complex and risen up to become rich legitimately. A typical example is Mr. Nguyen Canh Thong (in Tay Ho II block - Quang Tien ward), after 7 years of serving a prison sentence for illegal drug trafficking, returning to his locality, he was encouraged and close to the departments and organizations, which helped him overcome his inferiority complex, participate in social activities and was elected by the people in the block as deputy head of the block and head of the civil defense team.

Or Mr. Ho Ngoc Dien (in Tay Hieu commune), after completing his sentence, was accepted by Tay Hieu I Farm as a worker and assigned to manage 2 hectares of land for growing perennial rubber trees. In the case of Ms. Le Thi Yen (in Quang Tien ward), after completing her 10-year prison sentence and returning to her locality, the ward Women's Union used her as collateral to borrow 80 million VND from the bank to open a gas and gas stove shop; now her family has a stable income, an average of 8-9 million VND/month, and can support 2 children in college...

Rehabilitation is the wish of most people after serving their prison terms. However, lack of understanding of life skills, social knowledge and a past of mistakes are real barriers for prisoners to return to the right path and find a suitable job. The road back will be smooth when they have the care of their families and the sharing of society. With the care and active coordination between all levels, sectors and local authorities, models of community reintegration for criminals are being built and replicated throughout the province. This is an important foundation to help those who have made mistakes have the opportunity to train themselves, actively strive to develop the economy, actively participate in the movement to protect national security in the locality, contributing to preventing the occurrence of crimes and violations of the law.

Ngoc Anh