Behind the lives of those who have made mistakes.
(Baonghean)One might think that behind those bars were people who had lost all hope and faith in the future. But the care and attention of the correctional officers at Prison No. 6 have motivated them to reform well and strengthen their belief in a brighter tomorrow.
At Prison No. 6 (Ministry of Public Security), located in the communes of Thanh My and Hanh Lam (Thanh Chuong district), out of 4,000 inmates, about 500 are young people. Among them is Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang (born in 1983), from Tuong Duong, serving an 18-year sentence, with 3 years already served. Hang has a pure and innocent beauty that makes it hard to believe she was once a brazen drug trafficker. Her husband died from heroin addiction, leaving two young children in her poor hometown with her elderly mother. Hang entered prison carrying a heavy burden of sorrow. Yet, when she spoke with me, she looked radiant. Hang said: “The road ahead is long, but I hope that after I get out of prison, I will open a small restaurant to support my children. By then, they will be older, but they will still need their mother's help!” Pham Ngoc Hiep (born in 1988), with only two months left until his sentence ends, expressed his excitement: “I will go to the Business Association and ask for advice and support so I can find a job right away. Later, when I have saved up money, I will open a small company where my workers will be people in similar circumstances…” All these plans for the day of release prove that within those who have made mistakes, there are always dreams of doing something useful for society.
The Provincial Youth Union presented gifts to inmates who have shown good behavior during their rehabilitation at Prison No. 6.
The warden of Prison No. 6, Colonel Nguyen Viet Hoan, said: “In 2011, the prison organized a conference for inmates' families with businesses in the province. We invited former inmates who had completed their sentences and were now successful in business, so that the inmates could see them as motivation for good rehabilitation. Often, after such conferences, some inmates are hired by businesses whose owners are people who have been through similar experiences.”
Mr. Hoan said that some people who learned their trades while in prison have become wealthy upon returning to society. For example, Hai "the statue maker," with a multi-billion dong fortune and jobs for hundreds of workers, including some who had once been offenders. His company's products are available in many provinces and cities, with annual revenue reaching tens of billions of dong.
The warden also stated that most inmates nearing the end of their sentences often feel anxious about reintegrating into society. The prison has held talks and provided skills training to help inmates feel more confident upon their return. Inmates will be aware of this and will reform themselves well. And once they have stable employment and are accepted by society, they will not re-offend.
Text and photos: Thanh Nga
