More than 650 prisoners benefited from psychosocial and legal assistance before release during the past three years
- 14.07.2008 17:04
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Over 650 convicts have benefited from psychosocial and legal assistance during the past three years when prepared for release. The given assistance is offered during the last six months while in prison in order to facilitate the social integration of the former prisoners, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the Institute for Political Reform, a nongovernmental organization that defends the interests of the detainees.
Dorina Ardeleanu, project coordinator at the Institute, told a roundtable meeting that the prisoners should be prepared for the release from the moment they enter the penitentiary. The six months used now for rehabilitation is a too short period given that the prisoners are practically out of contact with the world, the quoted source said.
According to the consultant on social reintegration of the Chisinau Community Justice Center, Aliona Cojocaru, the psychosocial and legal assistance services help the former detainees to legalize the documents, find a workplace or a temporary place of residence. Aliona Cojocaru has told Info-Prim Neo that when released, the former convicts are issued with a document called form No. 9, which replaces the identity card for a period of three months, time during which the former detainee must legalize his/her identity card. But this temporary identification document cannot be used to be employed as the employers do not recognize it.
Liliana Astrahan, consultant on matters related to the preparation for release working at the penitentiary No. 9 in Pruncul, has stated to Info-Prim Neo that the persons deprived of liberty seek psychosocial and legal assistance services because they find it difficult to integrate into the society. When the former detainees are employed informally, they can remain without salary, the quoted source said.
The six penitentiaries of Moldova - No. 9 in Pruncul, No. 18 in Branesti, No. 6 in Soroca, No. 3 in Leova, No. 2 in Lipcani, and No. 7 in Rusca - have unites that prepare for release. There are also 11 community justice centers.
More than 10,000 people serve their sentences in prisons in Moldova.
The assistance to detainees is provided as part of the project "Strengthening of Civil Society in Moldova: Marginalized Groups. Social Reintegration of Former Detainees". The project is implemented with the financial assistance of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and SOROS Moldova Foundation. It will continue until spring 2009.
