Former prisoners deserve second chance

I saw the photos of inmates in the Central Karoo District using their skills to refurbish a house of a victim of gender-based violence. The initiative was an arrangement between mayor Gayton Mckenzie and the department of correctional services.

The department agreed to have inmates contribute effectively to society as part of their rehabilitation. I think this should be extended to other areas, as it allows inmates to exhibit their skills and help build the country, free of charge.

Our correctional facilities are not traditional jails aimed at punishing people for their crimes but rather institutions to help rehabilitate them. Most of these inmates are not proud of their crimes, that is why when they get to prison, they try to change their evil ways and become better members of society.

Seeing offenders honing skills that they will use to sustain themselves is pleasing to the eye as it means crime will decline.

However, if someone gets out of jail a qualified lawyer, teacher, or an expert in any other field and that person cannot use those qualifications and skills when released due to their criminal record, it means that the empowerment programme was a waste of time.

People who have been rehabilitated should be given a second chance to fully transform their lives.

Ideally, their criminal record should not prevent them from seeking and securing employment, as that might lead them to resort to crime again to make ends meet.

Malphia Honwane Gottenburg, emanyeleti