Minister says prisons assist ex-cons get jobs

He told Parliament last week that the department continuously collaborates with relevant institutions to assist ex-convicts to set up projects exploiting skills acquired during their imprisonment.  He said prisons officers provide references on the account of good behaviour to ex-inmates to help them settle back in society. He said prisons is meant to rehabilitate inmates and to effect behavioural change while providing them with life skills to be used to become productive and law abiding citizens upon their reintegration into the society.

He said that though he is aware of the negative effects of fingerprinting on the prospects of employment of ex-prisoners, it is a requirement for the records. He said former prisoners can receive LEA or CEDA packages depending on their behavioural change as long as the prisons authorities can confirm in writing that they have changed.