Abstract
This chapter submits that societal mainstreaming of ex-convicts to have a normal life is possible through inmate communication. Inmate communication is a conscientization approach that consists of a holistic strategy to nourish the head, heart, hand, and soul of an inmate, the prison management, and the society. While restorative justice aims to reintegrate inmates once they have served their sentences, life for an ex-convict outside may no longer be the same. A condescending society condemns “convicts as convicts for life” no matter how much they have changed because of the rehabilitation efforts of the government to reform them. The case in point is the National Bilibid Prison, the biggest prison facility that houses more than 22,000 most dangerous inmates in Metro Manila, Philippines who have committed heinous crimes to serve their sentences. Media materials that can nurture the mind such as poems, songs, bookmarks, jingles, letters, etc. for instance that bear words and thoughts of endearment can build a positive attitude and look forward to an accepting society.
TopBackground
Republic Act 10575 or the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Act of 2013 enacted on 24 May mandates that “the state should promote the general welfare and safeguard the basic rights of every prisoner incarcerated in the national penitentiary. It also recognizes the responsibility of the State to strengthen government capability aimed towards the institutionalization of highly efficient and competent correctional services. Thus, the State shall provide for the modernization, professionalization, and restructuring of BuCor by upgrading its facilities, increasing the number of its personnel, upgrading the level of qualifications of their personnel and standardizing their base pay, retirement, and other benefits.
It also recognizes the responsibility of the State to strengthen government capability aimed towards the institutionalization of highly efficient and competent correctional services. In RA 10575, the BuCor is in charge of safekeeping and instituting reformation programs to national inmates sentenced to more than three years. The safekeeping of inmates shall include decent provision of quarters, food, water and clothing in compliance with established United Nations standards. The Custodial Force consisting of Corrections Officers with a ranking system and salary grades similar to its counterpart in the Bureau of Jail Management Penitentiary undertakes the security of the inmates.
National inmates should also be assisted through reformation programs, which will be instituted by the BuCor and should consist of the following holistic approach:
Key Terms in this Chapter
Cultivation Period: Is the regularity of exposure to communication media that eventually gets into the system of the viewer.
Recidivism: Is that act of a person to repeat an undesirable behavior after they a bad experience or negative consequence of exhibiting one, or had been trained to extinguish that behavior.
Believing in Oneself: Refers to the process of inmates taking upon themselves the responsibility that they can still reform and once more get mainstreamed.
Reformation: Pertains to the process of changing norms and behavior to become a better person.
Inmate Communication: Is a conscientization approach that consists of a holistic strategy to nourish the head, heart, hand, and soul of an inmate, the prison management, and the society.
Reformatory Abode: Refers to NBP as penitentiary mirrors a place that prisoners come out clean and productive as members of society.
Conviction to Change: Depicts inmates’ assertion to reform and convincing oneself that there is life after their sentence is served.