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Inmates to be given job training in prison
The Justice and Human Rights Ministry plans to open up employment in prisons for inmates in order to train and equip them with work skills to better adapt to society when they are released
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he Justice and Human Rights Ministry plans to open up employment in prisons for inmates in order to train and equip them with work skills to better adapt to society when they are released.
"First we will formulate a comprehensive plan to train the prisoners," Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar said at the opening ceremony of a seminar on optimizing the capabilities of human resources in prisons.
"The skills that we provide should be integrated with existing jobs in the community, such as those required in small factories, and fishery and agriculture departments," Untung Sugiyono, director general of the correctional institution for the ministry, told The Jakarta Post.
According to Untung, the ministry were training inmates by establishing workshops in prisons such as the shoe workshop in Wirogunan Penitentiary in Yogyakarta; the furniture workshop in Porong Penitentiary in Sidoarjo, East Java; the textile workshop in Cirebon Penitentiary in West Java; and the printing workshop in Sukamiskin Penitentiary in Bandung, West Java.
The Directorate of Correctional Institutions for the ministry, which held the seminar, displayed handicrafts made by inmates at the talk.
"The next step will be to establish cooperation between the ministry and private companies to facilitate the building of appropriate workshops inside the prisons," the minister said.
Untung added that 80 percent of the total number of 135,000 inmates across the country were of a productive age.
He added that the ministry would also provide working inmates with savings accounts to support the salary system that was expected to be in line with the regional monthly minimum wage.
"We plan to allocate 25 percent of each of their salaries for their daily necessities such as food, and the other 75 percent to their savings," Untung said, adding that the government provided inmates with food.
A legal expert from the University of Indonesia, Rudy Satrio, endorsed the program. "It is a great idea to provide them with employment opportunities so they can better utilize their time in prison."
Human Rights National Commission deputy chairman, Ridha Saleh, said "I like that the ministry is showing its support by preparing inmates so they can live independently once they are released." He added that if used well, their savings might help improve their lives outside of prison.
Ridha emphasized that, "We should support the idea, but only if prisons do not exploit the inmates.
"Inmates are vulnerable to being exploited as labor," Ridha said. He feared that involving private companies inside the prison would exploit the inmates. He added that to prevent violations of human rights, the government would have be transparent when monitoring activity, as well as including the status of working inmates in the labor law. (ipa)
