EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR RELEASED PRISONERS

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will consider taking measures to help those with previous convictions but who have lived a crime free life for three years after their release from prison to get employment either in the Government, Statutory Boards or the private sector and will the Government take a lead in offering them employment.

Prof. S. Jayakumar: The Government does not as a rule exclude persons with previous convictions from seeking employment in the Civil Service or Statutory Boards. Generally, an enlightened policy is adopted towards convicted persons who apply for jobs in the public sector. Each case will be considered on its own merit. The seriousness and nature of the offence as well as evidence of rehabilitation and likelihood of recidivism and the nature of the job applied for need to be considered.

The Government has a policy of assisting reformed ex-prisoners to secure jobs on release from prisons. The process of helping ex-prisoners to secure employment begins in the prisons.

Vocational training and work programmes are provided in the prisons. Prisoners acquire necessary skills and develop good work ethics so that they can secure suitable jobs after their release.

In addition, there are Day Release Schemes for certain categories of prisoners. The prisoners on the Schemes are released to work in the day and return to the prisons after work. The Day Release Schemes are to prepare the prisoners for working life after their detention and to provide them with employment which they can continue after release.

Just before their release, all convicted prisoners who have served one year or more are offered employment and other assistance by a pool of trained Welfare Officers from the Ministry of Community Development's Prison Welfare Service and Aftercare Officers from the Singapore Aftercare Association. Assistance to secure employment for all released prisoners is therefore part of the rehabilitation process. Ex-prisoners who have difficulty in finding employment can seek assistance from the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Community Development or the Singapore Aftercare Association.