Less than 3% of parolees go back to crime

The country’s parole system has a higher success rate than Australia and Canada as 97.1% of those released do not go back to crime, according to Prisons Department statistics.

“About 1,400 prisoners in the country have been freed on parole from July 2008 to June 28 this year,” said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong after visiting the Prisons Department headquarters here yesterday.

“Less than 3% of parolees came back to prison,” said Prisons director-general Datuk Wira Zulkifli Omar.

Asked about congestion, Zulkifli identified prisons in Kluang, Seremban, Kemarang, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Tawau, Sibu and Miri as overcrowded.

“To solve this problem, we are in the process of reallocating and reshuffling prisoners in these prisons, according to their age and the offences committed,” he said.

Lee concurred with observations made by the United Nations Human Rights group, which praised the overall conditions of the prisons on its visit two weeks ago.

“I find that the prisons are well-equipped and the wardens have a good relationship with the inmates,” he said.

He also visited the Sekolah Integriti Penjara Kajang and Kajang Women’s Prison here.

Lee added that the prisons system complied with UN standards.

“It provides comprehensive skills training to equip inmates with the necessary skills to make a living once they are freed,” he said.