Special class on the road to recovery

(Baonghean) -Nghi Quang Production Area, Nghi Loc (Prison Camp No. 3), these days is busier than usual, with visits, inquiries, and seemingly more laughter than usual.

In just a few days, 75 prisoners of Prison No. 3 (concentrated in Nghi Quang) will receive the amnesty decision that the President has just signed. But before returning, the amnestied prisoners must all undergo a special class - a reintegration class, reserved for those who have been isolated from society and are on the path to rehabilitation, so that when they return they will not be surprised by the rapid changes outside.

We visited the community reintegration class being held in the Nghi Quang Production Area auditorium, where the students were attentively listening and absorbing the lecture on Traffic Safety Law, taught by prison wardens. Our feelings of apprehension about the class of criminals had disappeared, replaced by the feeling of a real class, with frank exchanges between the lecturer and the students.

Community reintegration class at Nghi Quang Production Zone -
Prison No. 3

This is the second year that community reintegration classes have been widely implemented for prisoners who are about to finish serving their prison sentences in prisons. Previously, also on the occasion of the amnesty on September 2, 2009, a community reintegration class was piloted here (there are 4 pilot models nationwide), implemented according to Official Dispatch No. 2538/V26 (P6) dated June 22, 2009 of the Director of V26. This year, implementing the Instructional Document No. 76/HD-C81 (C86) dated January 13, 2011 of the General Department VIII - Ministry of Public Security, on organizing teaching and learning of civic education programs for prisoners, Prison No. 3 organized a community reintegration class at Nghi Quang Production Area.

Talking to us, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Quoc Tuan - Warden of Nghi Quang Production Area, Prison No. 3, Head of the community reintegration class, said: In the past, every time entering and leaving the prison, prisoners were also supplemented with necessary knowledge about prison regulations, rules, regulations, as well as basic knowledge about society. After the concentrated class was deployed, it helped equip prisoners with more complete knowledge about the Party and State's guidelines, policies, and laws, and achievements in economic and social aspects in recent years. In this class, prisoners will learn about: rights and obligations of people who have completed their prison sentences; life skills education; harmful effects of social evils; road and railway traffic laws; residence laws; citizens' rights and obligations in marriage and family. After finishing each lesson, prisoners will do a review for the wardens to evaluate their learning outcomes. This is really necessary content, helping prisoners not to be confused before returning to the community, because there are prisoners who have been in prison for over 10 years.

Prisoners return after labor

In this class, we noticed that most of the prisoners were very eager and attentive in listening. In addition to the lectures built according to specific lesson plans, there were also the careful instructions from the supervisors for each prisoner, hoping that when they returned, they would not repeat the mistakes they had made in the past.

Prisoner Lo Xuan Dai (born in 1961, residing in Hamlet 6, Kim Son Town, Que Phong), imprisoned in 2000 for drug trafficking, has served 11 years, 3 months and 22 days, has had his sentence reduced 5 times for a total of 6 years, and received a special amnesty decision on September 2, 2011. He happily said: "Participating in the community reintegration class helps me and other prisoners gain solid knowledge, so that they will not be confused when they return to integrate into the community. In particular, with the knowledge of the law that I have been equipped with, it will help me avoid mistakes in life and focus on business." In the feeling of elation and joy of being able to return to his family, Mr. Dai also boasted: "Fortunately, during my time serving my prison sentence, I received the attention of the wardens and the encouragement of my wife and children, so that I could feel secure in my good rehabilitation. Especially my two obedient and studious sons, who were only 12 and 10 years old when I went to prison. Now the eldest son has also graduated from the University of Commerce, and has become a great source of encouragement for me to take care of my rehabilitation, hoping to return soon."

Like prisoner Lo Xuan Dai, prisoner Huynh Quang Thang (born in 1985, residing in Nghia Son commune, Nghia Dan district) was imprisoned on August 16, 2010, for intentionally causing injury, and was sentenced to 24 months in prison. During his time in prison, thanks to his good behavior, Thang was considered for amnesty, attended a community reintegration class, and was released 11 months and 15 days early. Thang said: "This is the biggest mistake I made in my life, because at that time my thinking was still immature, and I did not foresee the consequences of the incident. Now I just hope for the day of amnesty so I can return to my parents, to continue working at the family carpentry workshop, especially with my small family, with a cute son who was born before I entered prison."

Leaving the reintegration class, we wish that the prisoners who have been pardoned this time will not repeat the mistakes of the past when they return and reintegrate into the community, to rebuild their lives. This class will certainly help them to be steadfast and confident when they return to the community, even though this is a class that none of them want./.

Article and photos: Dang Nguyen