Crime Prevention Minister Jeremiah Norbert is urging family members of individuals who are incarcerated, to assist in reinstating them once they’ve returned to society.
Norbert, who was addressing an audience at the Bordelais Correctional Facility (BCF) last week – at BCF’s Family Day event, said that family members can assist in curbing recidivism.
The latter, (which refers to a person’s relapse into criminal behavior), is currently an issue at the Facility, Minister Norbert stated.
“We keep speaking about repeat offenders; sometimes we have to revisit the way that we do things. Inmates require the support of family members in order for us to see a drop in the rate of recidivism. They need to know that they have a support system. Yes, the government has a part to play, and yes, the Correctional Facility has a part to play, but we can only do so much when we have these individuals under our control,” he informed attendees.
“When they leave the gates of Bordelais there is a lot that falls on the shoulders of family members to ensure that these individuals are able to be reintegrated into society in a way that is acceptable – where we won’t see them coming back,” he stated.
Moreover, he added, individuals who were once incarcerated often have difficulty finding employment.
According to him, “I think the private sector can do a lot more and I want to call on them because we ask that our prisoners be reintegrated into society, we encourage them to, but we have to ask ourselves are we doing what is necessary to ensure that the environment is one that is conducive and one that is accepting.”
“If we really want to see a difference and we really want to see inmates positively reintegrated, I think we really have to engage the stakeholders especially the private sector and the business community so that individuals are not automatically discarded because they made a mistake. I commend Lubeco, Caribbean Grains and other agencies that have agreed to partner with us on our reintegration programmes,” he said.
In June of this year, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Youth Resilience, Inclusion, and Empowerment (Y-RIE) programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, and Empowerment, launched the Community Reentry Programme (C-REP) to address the critical gap in cross-agency support for the rehabilitation and reintegration of adult offenders into Saint Lucian society.
Launched via the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF), a satellite agency of the Ministry of Equity, the programme will engage government officials, community leaders, and stakeholders to support a pivotal turning point in promoting second chances, according to a statement from government.
“What this programme aims to do is to be able to provide inmates with the necessary support,” the minister said.
He called on inmates to play their part, adding that without a commitment on their end, government’s efforts are futile.
“We can provide you with all the support and the training that you require but if you do not find that sense of responsibility, if you do not find that sense of purpose within yourself to not come back here when you leave then there is little that what we’re doing today is going to do for you. I want to encourage you to take today as a stepping stone and use it as a motivation,” he said.
BCF’s Family Day event was held under the theme ‘Reuniting families, restoring bonds for reintegration’.
According to a spokesperson at the Facility, BCF’s Family Day “reflects our mandate to provide a transformative platform of rehabilitation that cultivates empathy, the will to change, and tenacity among inmates. Despite given opportunity to engage in various programmes, we understand that this is not adequate for successful reentry and note the vital role of family relationships and positive family attachments in the lives of incarcerated individuals.”
The spokesperson added that Family Day is seen as a judgement free space that allows inmates to bond with their families, breaking barriers and stigmas: “Despite our challenges and constraints, the Bordelais Correctional Facility is committed to pursuing our mission of rehabilitation and reintegration, however we cannot do it alone. The support of government and (non-governmental agencies) is vital.”