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Inmates’ products displayed at TEI’s prison-like booth
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Visitors observe products made by inmates from 21 Indonesian prisons displayed in the 2017 Trade Expo Indonesia at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in BSD, South Tangerang, Banten, on Oct. 12 (JP/Stefani Ribka)
T
here is something unique at the 2017 Trade Expo Indonesia. One of the tenants has set up a prison-like booth to display various products, from rattan chairs to baseball gloves, made by inmates.
The products, which are displayed at the exhibition hall of the 2017 TEI at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD in Tangerang, Banten from Oct. 11 to 15, have been exported worldwide for years.
“The products are made by inmates in 21 Indonesian prisons. The products have been exported worldwide, including to the United States and Japan,” said Jeera Foundation program development official Okki Soebagio at the expo venue on Thursday.
The prisons that display the inmate products include those in Cipinang in Jakarta, Banyuwangi and Porong in East Java, Semarang and Ambarawa in Central Java, Cirebon in West Java, Mataram in West Nusa Tenggara and Pontianak in West Kalimantan.
Read also: Trade Expo seals $16m trading contracts on first day
Indonesia has about 500 prisons, which are provided with training centers by the government to facilitate inmates with various skills from craft making to sewing.
The Jeera Foundation, founded by inmate Rino Lande, runs a training center for inmates in Cipinang to teach them to make leather craftwork and to train them in barista skills. “Such activities are aimed at reducing the recidivism rate that remains about 70 percent,” Okki told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The figure means about 70 percent of the total of 200,000 inmates in Indonesia will be imprisoned again within five years of their release.
About 80 percent of those inmates are involved in drug crime. (bbn).
