Prisoners get family time

THE Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services will from tomorrow host a Family Week to allow inmates to interact with their families for longer periods than usual.

In a statement, ZPCS said the facility that will run until Friday, is intended to improve the rehabilitation of offenders and facilitate for their re-integration into society through enhanced interaction with various stakeholders including families, relatives and churches that are interested in the offenders’ welfare.

“This event follows a largely successful event, the first-of-its-kind, last year in August which saw prisons across the country affording offenders more time than is usually prescribed, to interact with visitors,” said ZPCS.

“As you might be aware, visits to prisons are usually regulated taking cognisance of the security situation that inmates pose.

“During the Family Week, however, regulations are somewhat relaxed to enable anyone to be visited in the spirit of promoting increased interaction between offenders and society.”

ZPCS said it was important to note society was important in the rehabilitation of inmates as the offenders would return to the same communities after serving their sentences.

“In light of this, we implore upon all to take advantage of this Family Week to share with those behind bars family matters, food and drinks.

“Visits shall be conducted during normal hours (0800-1600hrs) with visitors enjoying longer periods of interactions at the discretion of Officers in Charge of various prisons.

“For visitors bringing food, it must be well cooked, brought under hygienic conditions and of limited quantities (ZPCS Health Food Supervisors will inspect).”

The organisation also urged people to take note of special class of inmates that need support from communities.

“We have in our institutions some special groups that need care.

“These include but are not limited to women behind bars some of whom come with pregnancies, children accompanying their mothers in prison, juveniles as well as offenders with mental challenges.

“Let us consider them during such times as this Family Week. They need our consideration and care.”