Our Literature Review

Prison and rehabilitation for any recidivist is not sufficient to ensure that he has completely turned over to a new leaf. According to existing research studies, it is easy for youth offenders to slip back into their old habits and repeat offences when they are released to the disorganized communities, hence any gains made by juvenile offenders in correctional facilities during rehabilitation may quickly evaporate following their release (Deschenes and Greenwood, 1998).

One of the root problems for this behavior is unemployment, which is our main focus today. In reference to existing resources, economic self-sufficiency is a priority for ex-offenders but their hopes are hampered as there is increasing competition for jobs, with a detrimental impact on court involved youth. Based on information retrieved from the internet, besides public safety issues, prospective employers are doubtful of the negative connotations that accompany the label “juvenile offender” As a result, they are sometimes hesitant to engage the juvenile justice system and to work with youth offenders. The ripple effect caused is a connection between joblessness and crime and between job preparation and earnings. According to existing sources, the offender, usually a male, is the sole-breadwinner of the family and without a job, he has to resort to underhand means to provide for his family, hence, it is imperative to commit crimes. The lesson learned is that we need to provide ex-offenders with opportunities to learn skills that can help them grow into productive, law-abiding, responsible citizens. Employers can play a part in this case by functioning as a portal bridging the gap between court-involved youth and the labor market. Employers can provide critical information about local and regional labor market needs and worker preparation requirements, which can help identify community service projects—both residential and community-based—that provide opportunities for restitution and community visibility. They can inform youth offenders of other employment opportunities and are relevant in ensuring the skills learned and practiced by the ex-offenders are those most likely to lead to employment. It also introduces employers to youth before the job search process begins.

In addition, to curb this problem, at the end of the rehabilitation process for any juvenile offender is after-care services, which can be defined as reintegrative services that prepare court-involved juveniles for reentry into the community and is the start of a new beginning for a juvenile delinquent so its foundation is in the community services and community supervisation.

In Singapore, according to the Children and Young Persons Act Chapter 38, its judicial response to combating youth delinquency has been to pursue a fine equilibrium in the management of juvenile offenders such that the justice (custodial vs non-custodial) and restorative models (rehabilitate & reintegrate) compliment each other as mutually supportive elements of the juvenile justice system effectively to stimulate and coordinate efforts to keep youths from crime , promote their effective rehabilitation and reinstating public support and confidence in juvenile offenders. “Every court in dealing with a child or young person who is brought before it, either as being in need of care or protection, or as an offender or otherwise, shall have regard to the welfare of the child or young person and shall in a proper case take steps for removing him from undesirable surroundings’ and for securing that proper provision is made for his education and training”. Deputy Director/Chief Probation Officer, Ministry of Community Development and Sports, Singapore. Indeed, Singapore’s restorative judicial model is predicated on helping the juvenile offender to deal with underlying causes of offending and by working actively with community partners such as volunteers, voluntary welfare organisations, schools, and employers etc. to develop a network of services all specifically catered to the main objective of effectively integrating offenders and their families back into society to lead a normal life in the belief that every ex-offender has the capacity to change.

Employment Development Programmes based in Singapore

There have been many efforts by welfare organisations to make sure that ex-offenders have a steady job. The CARE Network(Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-offenders), which is composed of eight members to aid the rehabilitation of ex-offenders more effectively with their pooled resources and expertise. There is also The Yellow Ribbon Project which aims to inspire a ripple effect of concerted community action and ownership to support ex-offenders with a desire to change, and earn back the trust from others to reintegrate successfully into the society, reconcile with their families and find hope in a new beginning.

Work development programmes have been imposed like training ranging from food preparation, hairdressing to IT skills to give suitable offenders the opportunity to inculcate within them positive work ethics, discipline, skills and vocational training which enhances the employability of offenders after their release from Prisons within a sheltered work setting. SCORE(Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprise) also spearheads the successful reintegration of offenders back into society through securing of employmentwhihc is very important.

Based on an article from TODAY , Keppel Offshore and Marine were so impressed by the positive attitudes and the relevant skill sets shown by two inmates that it offered them jobs on the spot and the need to curb unemployment is highlighted as an inmate relates his story-

"Many of my friends, especially those in prison for many years, ask me about life outside and whether it is hard to get jobs. I told them it's a bit difficult. They then said, 'In that case, we will have to do the same criminal things again'," he said.

"If I can get a job at the fair, I can survive and take care of my family when I am released," he said.

The success of these programs are evidenced by the fact that the recidivism rate-the rate of return to prison or drug rehabilitation centres within 2 years from the date of release-of inmates has been decreasing steadily from about 57 percent for the 1995 cohort, to about 35 percent for the cohort in 2000. The sharpest drop was registered between 1999 and 2000 when the recidivism rate dropped by almost 10 percent from 45 percent in 1999 to 35 percent in 2000. Emphasis is placed on the support of all Singaporeans to help in the reintegration of the offenders into society as much will depend on the willingness of Singaporeans to give these ex-offenders a second chance to successfully reintegrate back into the society and lead useful lives.

Unemployment is a major issue and as welfare organisations strive to improve individual programs that serve juveniles, they also need to devote attention to the roots of the problems which determines their failure or success in truly responding to the needs of young people. Collaboration of the major youth-serving agencies is critical to the success of efforts to help youth prepare for employment, obtain that employment, and successfully stay on the job. It can be concluded that helping prisoners to be self-sufficient when they leave prison goes a long way to helping them stay out of prison.

Sources:

Links:

http://www.mha.gov.sg/

http://www.saca.org.sg/

http://notesapp.internet.gov.sg

http://www.littlespeck.com/

http://sgms.internet.gov.sg/

http://app.subcourts.gov.sg/juvenile/page.aspx?pageid=8955

http://www.nygr.org.sg/index.html

http://app.mcys.gov.sg/web/indv_rebuily.asp

http://www.apcca.org/Pubs/19th/19_agenda_2.pdf

http://www.reentry.gov/publications/juvjust.html

www.yellowribbon.org.sg

10) Recidivism rate-the rate of return to prison or drug rehabilitation centre within 2 years from the date of release-of inmates has been decreasing steadily

11) Welfare organisations need to devote attention to the roots of the problems

12) Collaboration of the major youth-serving agencies is critical

13) helping prisoners to be self-sufficient when they leave prison goes a long way to helping them stay out of prison.