Library in prison

(Baonghean.vn) - It has become a habit that after working and reforming hours, prisoners at Prison No. 3 (under General Department VIII, Ministry of Public Security) go to the library. For them, reading time is also a time for quiet contemplation, reading to learn, to understand more and to find themselves...

While attentively reading each page of the law book, prisoner Tran Hong Chuong expressed: “Because of lack of knowledge, I have committed illegal acts in the past, leading to imprisonment. Therefore, in addition to novels, I often read law books. The knowledge gained from the pages of the books will help me understand more, so that after I have served my sentence and returned to the community, I will avoid doing wrong things.”

Prisoner Tran Hong Chuong looks for books in the library

For fraud and illegal immigration, Chuong was sentenced to 24 years in prison. When he first entered the prison, Chuong often had conflicts with other prisoners. However, with the help of prison officers and books, Chuong gradually understood his own sins and was determined to reform himself to correct his mistakes.

Prisoner Chuong added: “In addition to books related to law, I also read “How to Win Friends and Influence People”… I pondered over it every night and it was as if my soul was cleansed and I truly awakened myself. The beautiful things about life and people through each page of the book urged me to nurture my faith and the desire to rebuild my life.”

Like prisoner Chuong, prisoner Nguyen Huy Ngoc (in Gia Binh, Bac Ninh) always felt inferior and self-conscious about the crime of drug trafficking, along with a life sentence. Educated by the prison guards, Ngoc gradually woke up and escaped from despair. Prisoner Ngoc said: "In addition to the time of labor reform, every week I go to the library to read books 2-3 times. Through each page of the book, I find for myself lessons on how to be a human being, leading to an honest life...".

Among the books I have read, I like the most is "Resurrection from Despair". The saying "It is never too late to wash away the painful past and start over". This book has given me more faith and hope" - Mr. Ngoc confided.

At the two sub-camps of Prison No. 3, there are currently more than 3,000 books of many genres, which are mainly divided into 3 sections: career guidance books, books on ethics, law, life skills training, and novels and literature... Outside of working and reform hours, prisoners can go to the library to read books, and prisoners in need are facilitated by the sub-camp officers to register to borrow books to read in their cells.

Prisoners read books in the library of Sub-camp 1.

Colonel Phan Dinh Thanh, Warden of Prison No. 3, said: With over 2,000 prisoners serving sentences, many of whom have committed serious crimes such as murder, drug trafficking, embezzlement, etc., the nature of the crimes is dangerous, the ideological development of prisoners with high sentences and many criminal records is very complicated. Therefore, along with many other forms of management and education, the prison warden always attaches importance to the role of books. Accordingly, the prison builds a library for prisoners. Every month and every quarter, it coordinates with the Provincial Library to rotate and supplement new books.

Creating conditions for prisoners to read books has contributed to the propaganda and dissemination of the Party and State's guidelines, policies and laws, supporting the education and rehabilitation of prisoners. Through reading books, each prisoner will have an additional useful information channel to study and train themselves during the rehabilitation process. During the process of coming to the library, prisoners will find many useful things from books and newspapers, so that when they return to the community, they will know how to consider and adjust their behavior to the right standards...

Indeed, although it is just the arrangement of a reading room, this seemingly small thing has brought great happiness to the beneficiaries. More importantly, while books and reading culture are on the decline in many places, in the re-education camp, the appearance of books not only enriches the spiritual life of prisoners, but also helps them understand and absorb more the values ​​of life, the value of labor... So that their return day will be truly more meaningful and brighter.

Dang Nguyen