New correctional facilities to be completed by end 2013

The activities of the GCC Unified Inmates’ Week starts today under the auspices of Prince Muhammad bin Naif, minister of interior. Maj. Gen. Ali bin Hussien Al-Harthi, director general of prisons, was interviewed by a local newspaper on the occasion.
The week, themed “My Family is in Your Hands”, is aimed at raising public awareness about the importance of society contributing to the correctional process for prisoners and to not let correctional punitive institutions do it alone.
It is important to integrate released prisoners and their families into society. Prisoners’ families are victims who have done nothing wrong. As such, they must be supported, Al-Harthi said in the interview.
Al-Harthi said correctional facilities are obliged to classify inmates at wards according to their cases. “As per the regulations, the younger inmates are separated from the older ones, and those with simple crimes are separated from those with major ones despite the fact that there are nearly 42 types of cases,” he said. “Drug cases alone include nine types. However, we work on separating inmates according to the type of offense.”
Al-Harithi said that with the opening of the new correctional facilities in Riyadh, Jeddah, Taif and Eastern Province by the end of 2013, there will be diverse and different wards. There will be nine new facilities in Abha, Najran, Jazan, Northern Frontier, Al-Jouf, Tabuk, Qassim, Hail and Al-Baha. After these projects are completed, a range of diverse and unique education, rehabilitation and training programs will be implemented. “These optional programs would have the inmates train, learn and become involved in workshops during the day and evening. We want them to go back to their wards only for sleep.”
He said the skills they would acquire would benefit them in jail and after they are released.
He said that organizations related to the care of prisoners and their families are working with the Prisons Department in putting in place plans and programs aimed at the care of inmates. There are 15 representatives of the government and private sectors and there are directives for each body to fulfill its social responsibilities toward prisoners.
He added that the experience of having the inmates work at establishments during their imprisonment was a pioneering experience which faced obstacles. Several bodies are working with the department to assist inmates and have them overcome the obstacles they face including the ministries of Labor and Social Affairs and the National Committee for the Care of Prisoners and Their Families, in addition to 16 other committees around the country.
“It is not our responsibility to help released prisoners get jobs, but the fact remains that the government has decided to cancel criminal records for those whose sentence was less than 3 years.”