adminThe Herald, 31 August 2001
THE Government should seek the assistance of social workers and counsellors if prisoners and their families are to be rehabilitated, National Association of Social Workers publicity secretary Mr Douglas Machiridza has said.
Mr Machiridza said there was no respect for human dignity and self-worth in jails which induced pressures that led to depression, stress and suicide.
“When faced with these problems most prisons do not know how to deal with them because there are no trained counsellors and social workers,” said Mr Machiridza.
He said the assistance offered in prisons did not focus on the social and psychological needs of inmates. The prison officials, he said, were not equipped with the necessary skills needed for rehabilitating offenders.
“Prison officials are only interested in maintaining order and security within prisons.
“As a result, prisoners are left to deal with pressures of imprisonment on their own,” he said.
Mr Machiridza said the decision by the Government to release prisoners who had committed petty crimes and those who had terminal illnesses was a positive development.
He said the prison system had failed to address the perennial problems of overcrowding in jails which led to little rehabilitation of inmates.
With overcrowding in cells, Mr Machiridza said some prisoners were exposed to risks such as sexual and physical abuse by other inmates.
He said there was need for the judiciary system to expand the community service programmes to keep petty offenders out of jail.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
President Mnangagwa has of late pardoned scores of prisoners, offering them another chance to be back in their respective societies. However, as is the case in previous years, some of the prisoners find their way back in prisons in a few weeks’ time. Below are a few lessons to consider if prisoners are to be effectively rehabilitated.
Imprisonment of offenders does not mean that they are no longer members of society. This is why a lot of investment is put in place to rehabilitate them so that they become responsible citizens and a majority of them have proved that.
In many prison systems, psychologists are the primary mental health care providers, with psychiatrists contracted on a part-time basis. Psychologists provide services ranging from screening new inmates for mental illness to providing group therapy and crisis counselling.
It has been proven time and time again that education programmes in prison help to give inmates a second chance and the Zimbabwean Government has made sure that all those interested can pursue their formal education while serving their terms.
The inability to find and maintain work is a main factor in recidivism across the nation. When former inmates re-enter society without marketable skills, a domino effect occurs.
The support that a prison counsellor provides ranges from inmate to inmate. Most counsellors offer hands-on counselling covering topics such as vocational, academic, social and personal skills.
Online Reporter