REHABILITATED DRUG ADDICTS

Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether his Ministry will commit more resources to strengthen supports services for rehabilitated drug addicts and help them to find jobs.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: Rehabilitating drug addicts is a key priority for Prisons Department and the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE). However, in providing support services for rehabilitated drug addicts, we must strike a balance between providing rehabilitative opportunities for addicts and imposing sufficient deterrence against drug abuse.

Our current rehabilitative programmes focus on providing employment opportunities and aftercare support for drug addicts.

Providing employment opportunities

The inculcation of strong work ethic and discipline is a major focus of our rehabilitative efforts. Addicts who can hold down a stable job tend to be able to reintegrate into society more easily and lead a useful life upon their release from the Drug Rehabilitation Centres (DRCs). Companies have set up workshops in the DRCs to provide work opportunities. These workshops provide inmates with a realistic work environment, and help them to work and learn on-the-job skills. SCORE also provides a variety of vocational and generic training courses for drug inmates. Since 1983, more than 5000 inmates have benefited from these training courses.

As an extension of its vocational training programme for DRC inmates, SCORE recently initiated the Corporate Assistance for Rehabilitation (CARE) Scheme. CARE encourages companies and organisations in the private sector to play an active role in community service by contributing towards the training of inmates. Under this scheme, companies solely or jointly sponsor relevant training courses inside the DRCs. In return, the trained inmates are attached to the companies for at least 6 months after their release, where they put their acquired skills and knowledge to good use.

Rehabilitated addicts can also enrol under SCORE's Corporate Adoption Scheme (CAS) after their release from the DRC. Under this Scheme, companies provide ex-addicts with jobs and appoint a mentor in the company to guide and assist the individual in adapting to the new work environment, and in regaining their self-confidence and esteem.

SCORE has also been running a Job Placement Unit (JPU) since 1988 to assist released prisoners and drug addicts to find suitable jobs. The Unit helps to match the skills of the inmates to the requirement of suitable companies. So far, the Unit has helped more than 9,200 inmates to find jobs.

Providing aftercare support

Other than employment, strong aftercare support is also critical for the successful rehabilitation of drug addicts. For drug addicts who are sufficiently motivated to kick the drug habit, the Prisons Department runs a Community Based Rehabilitation Programme (CBR) which allows them to be released earlier into the community to continue their rehabilitation in a supportive environment. The emphasis of the CBR scheme is on stable work, regular counselling and continuous support from either the family members or the community in the halfway houses. The results of the programme have been encouraging, with a completion rate of about 80%.

SCORE also runs a well-structured and comprehensive counselling programme, called the Aftercare Counselling Programme (ACP), for drug addicts. The ACP is a one-year programme providing individual counselling, group counselling and family counselling under qualified SCORE counsellors. Clients are encouraged to participate in social and recreational activities organized by SCORE. As of 30th August 1997, a total of 940 recovering addicts and their families have benefited from the SCORE Counselling Centre.

Other than SCORE, various religious and voluntary welfare organisations such as the Singapore Anti-Narcotic Association (SANA) also provide various in-care and aftercare support services for drug addicts.

Conclusion

In summary, adequate resources have been committed to put in place a comprehensive range of support services for rehabilitated drug addicts. We will continue to review the need for additional programmes from time to time.