مؤسسة حياه للتنمية والدمج المجتمعي Development and community integration
“I made a mistake and I have punished, But why I am forced to choose between two painful choices to continue my life” This was one of the sharp expressions which a recent released said. This expression is very painful and it expresses his suffering, pain, grief and sadness.
The main reason to build prisons is to be a punishment establishment to politeness and to modify the wrong behaviours, Prison is a constructive not destroying establishment, and that’s mean the guilty can return to his/her normal life through it. But contrary to expectation the prisons became a place to violence, radicalism, professional criminality and a source to increase the bad behaviours which could kill any hope to reforming. And that is a very dangerous thing because it warns beforehand with a social disaster which may prevent Stability, Social control, Peace and welfare of society; because the criminal enviroment teaches the prisoners skills and behaviours they didn’t know or thought of it before.
The prisoner is a normal man can makes mistakes as others. May he forced to commit a crime because of Educative or psychological or cultural reasons or less of faith.
This man (prisoner) served his sentence and got out the prison to continue his life. He repent to his lord and he ask for his society forgiveness and he wants to achieve success and be effective one. But the released suffers lots of pains I will mention only two pains:
Firstly: pain of leaving: The released suffers because of the unforgiving society, He has become a disgracer and he can’t change that. If he wants to work, his Certificate of police record prevents him or if he wants to marry his biography spreads between people and pursues him… and if he wants to start again all this disgraces prevent him so what should he do? His family reject him because they consider him a reason of their shame and His neighbours despise him, in their opinion he as an infectious disease they should avoid it, Not just that but they reject and escape away him in his occasions or their occasions So he has become lonely without a friend or good advisor.
“Oh people if the lord forgives the man even if he comes with an earth load of sins and accept the penitence why you don’t accept me. I made a mistake and I have punished, I spend many years of life in prison. I bore lots of pains (pain of staying in the prison, indignity and punishment pains, pain of staying away family and lovers and self-reproach pain because of what I committed), I stayed alone and I discipline me, I repented and I felt that god forgave me so why can’t you forgive or accept me? Have compassion for my weakness; Help me to return to be close from you again”.
“Don’t make me to be an aggressive and uptight personality again towards you.. Try to see my good side and don’t force me to be bad again.”
The second pain: After everyone avoided him and haven’t no paths and there’s no one to hear him or merciful hearts surround him or open minds to understand him.. He decided back to commit the crimes, he decided to revenge from this hypocrite society which his citizens pretend holiness and angelic but they are in a slump. “What will harm me, I am as the dead in both positions”
I am the guilty and the prisoner and those are my brothers (the offenders) and my partners in crime. With them I find myself, we have the same pains and they will not reject me or despise me or look down on me because they’re rejected, humiliated and despised. And I am with them against this sick society… We will steal them, will hit them, and will make them feel fear. If I back to the prison it will be my destiny which I forced to choose it.
Those are two pains which the single prisoner suffer from But what about the Married prisoner or the father prisoner who has children. Will his children have a future? Will his daughters have a hopeful future? Or she will be just a daughter of prisoner!
Crimes spread and back to commit a crime start when society thinks negative towards released. If society forgive him, and help him and his family for a new start under the banner #Start_A_Life #Go_You’re_Free, do your best to correct and help him to be kind, successful and good man who will not think commit a crime again.. Reducing crimes start by this step.
“Life foundation for development and community integration” is one of the most important hopeful attempts in Arabic enviroment to rehabilitate the released and work to re-integrate him with society and help him to start again, the foundation work to help on every side which the released needs. It gives him legal support, psychological support, social support and the right to have a job, etc..
This attempt (Life Foundation) is a pioneer attempt in specific social work field, it works in a field seldom anyone pay attention to it, it plays the role which the government should do.
After this explanation we should to acknowledge that the prisons need to review it in all its sides, levels and apply the law seriously. The society absolutely needs to raise its awareness to review its opinion towards these categories and do well to inclusion them. For the sake of the society itself before other’s sake.
Finally I say:
The released shouldn’t give up he should try too much. And think wisely, and seek seriously to change all his conditions. To society see his good behaviours, Life is full of obstacles and challenges you should Fight and be patient to improve yourself or continue to play the role of victim. You could prove yourself.