Inmates serving sentences outside jails

Of the 6,000 convicts who serve their sentences in Moldovan prisons, around 1,000 are hired to do paid jobs. Half of them work outside jails, shows data from the Department of Penitentiary Institutions (DPI). Experts claim that this is a good method of re-socializing. When asked why taxpayers should provide for convicts who are not dangerous to society and could serve their sentence in a different way experts reply that this is an international practice, extensively used by many other countries. Igor Dolea, expert at the Institute for Penal Reform, told Info-Prim Neo that a convict does not necessarily have to be permanently detained. Depending on their crime, they can work outside prisons, for individuals or legal entities. Evidently, this holds only if they are not a danger to society, and if they serve their sentences in open or semi-open prisons. In a reply given to Info-Prim Neo by the DPI in is said that 430 convicts work outside the penitentiary, hired by individuals or legal entities. Of these, one works in agriculture, around 300 in contract based labor, and the rest at State offered jobs in penitentiaries. “The convicts’ work and meetings with their families are methods of re-socializing. These are what they call alternative punishment: community service, fines, imprisonment with conditional suspension of punishment execution, they apply everywhere”, mentioned Igor Dolea. The expert says that all countries are adepts of alternatives to detention. Moldova also seeks solution for the re-socialization of inmates. Their number fell in half, from 12,000 in 6,000 in 2010. This proves that other methods of conviction were found. “When a person was involved in a car accident that ended in someone’s death, or was involved in corruption, and so on, they should obviously be imprisoned; yet these people are not dangerous, per say, and they freedom is no danger to others”, Igor Dolea added. According to the chief of Internal Security of the DPI Alexei Braduceanu, all convicts who are hired outside of prisons are undergoing re-socialization. They are allowed to leave the penitentiaries for work only after they’ve undergone some test, including medical and psychological ones. The convicts who serve their sentence in community regime or re-socializing, or who do household maintenance around the prison, may be allowed to leave the premises without an escort or guard, if they’ve served at least 1/3 of their sentence. The warden settles the schedules and itinerary of the convicts. If an inmate breaks any of the prison’s rules, or the schedule or itinerary given, the warden has the right to cancel their privilege of leaving premises without an escort or guard. Convicts undergoing re-socializing can also benefit from the right to live with their family in a residential space within the premises of the penitentiary or nearby.