Prisoners Are Humans Too- Lets Be Humane With Them.

[TemasekIsSickening]

A prisoner, once found guilty by a Court of Law is either fined or make to serve a custodial sentence in a lawful Prison run by a government ministry and headed by civil servants.

A prisoner, have to accept limited rights and certain deprivations as part of the rehabilitation programme.
At the end of the day, one of the main aim of any Penal establishment is to ensure that the prisoner is made to serve his/her sentence, be rehabilitated and returned to society as a reformed individual.

Our Prisons Dept here is doing very well and have many incentives for released prisoners. One of it is the Yellow Ribbon programme.
Kudos to the many organisations that give released prisoners jobs so as to enable them to start life anew and contribute to the good of society.

However, I have seen so many instances where prisoners are treated so shabbily in the presence of society.
Take a trip to Changi General Hospital and you will see prisoners in uniform (with the word, PRISONER) emblazoned on it being brought in by armed Cisco security guards in handcuffs and shackled legs.
These poor prisoners will have to walk past many visitors in the specialist clinics or A&E Depts for treatment of ailments.

It is truly very pathetic to see these incarcerated people being treated in such an inhumane manner.
Like us, they too have their self-pride, respect and worth, don't they?
I am very sure they feel embarassed, tormented (or even angry) but can do nothing about it as the situation is beyond their control.

These practices may be in line with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of the Prisons Dept. However, I am not sure whether these SOPs are so rigid or may have provisions for the escorts to use "their own initiative". Maybe these is to prevent prisoners from escaping.

If such an eventuality occurs, the escorts can be taken to tasks and charged under the Penal Code with, "negligently suffering a prisoner to escape". This offence carries a stiff sentence. But escapes are quite impossible as no one in handcuffs or leg shackles can make a clean pair of feet successfully.

I propose that these prisoners be brought to hospital via a special entrance where he/she can come out from the van and straight into that special area. Just like the VIP Area in Airports. I heard this is practised in our Courts too.
Prisoners can also be classified as VIPs or VERY IMPORTANT PRISONERS.

If possible, I further propose that the prisoner be brought in in civilian clothes and his escorts should also be in civilian attire too. He/She can be handcuffed but the cuffs should be covered from the back by his/her top-attire.
If this is not possible, then by all means continue using the hand-cuffs and leg-shackles but cover the prisoner's face in a kind of hood where he/she can see from a thin veil but others are not able to see his/her face.
I am sure there are good examples of attire from these modern world to choose from.
If SIA can make the sarong-kebaya an icon, why not give it a try and come up with such special attire.

In all honesty, if we have the sincere wish to reform prisoners effectively so that they are able to re-integrate with society, we should accord them their dignity and self-worth, instead of continuosly subjecting them to degradation and loss of face.
A person is punished for a crime once and not made to go through the same punishment many times.
Isn't this an act of gross injustice and going against the nature of "Forgive & Forget".
We are NOT a barbaric society.

Scenario:
"A prisoner walks into the clinic in his prison-attire handcuffed and legs shackled.
There stands his wife and children or relatives....
How would he feel?
How would his kids feel?
Do you think that treating them in such an inhumane manner will assure their proper rehabilitation. Will the children love and be loyal to the Nation?

By all means follow the American style (like how they dress prisoners in Guantanamo) but improve upon it to suit our feelings. We are Asians and jealously guard our self-worh, dignbity and pride.
After all we are all humane people who even treat animals with utmost respect.

 

[red amoeba]

a prisoner is a prisoner because he committed a crime.

if we are inhumane, we won't even see them in a hospital because they will be denied medical attention.

bcos he is imprisoned, for the duration of his sentence, he is living on tax payers' money.

One part of punishment is humiliation. Do they not think about such consequences when they commit a crime?

Why shld they be treated with special attention - eg: enter & exit via special entrances? I have seen people being extradicted at airports, they are handcuffed and escorted by 2 men (police or not I not sure), not special entrance or exit - same communal waiting area before boarding. But probably they board last and the airline reserve the entire row for them.

There ought to be a special reason for donning them in coloured clothes - for easy id, the same like in prison - different categories of prisoners are wearing different color uniforms.

 

[Kohliantye]

Red Amoeba,
I understand your sentiments with regard to prisoners and how these "lot" ought to be treated.
What I am trying to say is that we are a Gracious and Forgiving citizenry. We care for the less fortunate and we offer charity to victims of natural disasters.
Our Courts temper justice with mercy. The courts even do not aloow naming of certain offenders for fear of exposing their families for the Courts feel that in doing so subject such families to ridicule and embarrassment.
The Authorities, especially the Penal establishments, fully supports the return of convicted prisoners into the fold of our society.

Parading them in such a way is a punishment far too harsh.
These people have paid their dues by being sentenced for the offences they committed.
Why must they be subjected to such embarassing situations.
Their very presence in such crowded public places exposes them to society.
They may be "deserving of such form of humiliation"
But What about their loved ones who are innocent?
We should look humanely from this point of view.