THE INVISIBLE PRISON IN SOCIETY

By Arvinash Ravindran & Rahul Harminder Singh

Being locked up physically puts a tremendous amount of toll on prisoners. But what happens when they are branded by their past, never being able to rise above it when they step out of prison?

Not many of us would know what it is like to experience life inside a prison cell. Can you imagine the fear and loneliness inmates experience when they are inside? Or how about the mixture of emotions they get when their sentence is finished and they end up in a second prison which is also known as the prejudice that society portrays on them?

The invisible prison ex-offenders step into is almost instantaneous. The feeling they get when they first step into their prison cell is almost similar when they step out into the outside world. In fact, in 2013, more than 40% of offenders that were released had returned to prison within five years. With 12,000 inmates serving time every year in Singapore, 1 in every 4 are most likely to re-offend and head back into prison within two years. Without strong social support and difficulty in finding employment, many of them turn back to the life of crime.

THE SOCIAL STIGMA

Charged originally for drug trafficking but was ultimately reduced to consumption, 21-year old Nicola Lange explains his predicament in prison. He had spent a year in the Singapore Boys Hostel before spending another 15 months in the Reforming Training Centre (RTC). The Swiss-Thai boy is no stranger to trouble as he got his first probation charge at the age of 15 for underage smoking and another for trespassing.

Since then, he has been treated as an outcast and even more when he stepped out of RTC.

“I was working at a high-risk chemical plant and the employers there treated us differently as we were ex-offenders.”

He went on to explain how his employers at the chemical plant would shorten their breaks from one and a half hours to just half an hour and would disrespect them greatly.

Having a strong passion for cooking and baking, the young adult had also applied for a job at a famous local cupcake company.

“They offered me the job but the night before I started, they called me to ask me if I was an offender. When I said yes, they told me they will let me know if I should come in the next day. Till today they never got back to me”.

Being ostracised from corporations was what Lange felt to be unfair.

“What society doesn’t know is that inside the prison, there are actually good people who have done petty crimes due to poverty or unfortunate circumstances.”

With that, he ventured into e-commerce in the clothing line and food preparations. At the same time, he also started working as a safety management officer that not only keeps an eye on the public but also on officers.

Caption: Always known as the bad boy or black sheep, 21-year-old Nicola Lange tells society how they should never judge a book by its cover. PHOTO: ARVINASH RAVINDRAN

“I’m working as a Safety Management Officer, it’s something similar to a Social Distancing Ambassador but instead of just catching members of the public who are not wearing their masks, I also look out for officers themselves who are not complying with the rules.”

In a way, it is ironic in the sense that after having a close eye constantly on him throughout his time in prison, the roles have been reversed now.

THE RIGHT EMPLOYMENT

The Strait Times had reported in 2018 that President Halimah Yacob mentioned how 96% of 2,336 inmates secured a job before their release through Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprise (SCORE). In addition, 60% of them had managed to keep their job for at least six months.

On the contrary, good employment opportunities that suit the skills of ex-offenders are not easily handed out to them as they wrestle in desperation to find a source of income.

After spending three years in a four-man cell and prison school, Joe Daniel Austin was unable to find a job despite having proper qualifications in the industry he wanted to work in.

He had extended his sentence by nine months and studied hard.

“I scored 4 distinctions and was one of the top students in the cohort. After informing them about my records, nobody called me back. I even tried for a government organisation where my performance as a trainee was good. Yet I wasn’t selected,” said the 28-year-old.

The only reason Joe could think of was that he was from Prison and had studied there.

He had tried to apply for other jobs, but it was a struggle. Thanking his lucky stars, Joe now works under his father in a dangerous goods company as the operation executive.

21-year-old Lange added how the jobs that they receive from the social workers are not suited for them or matches their skills.

“Some of the companies that I have tried applying for, either offer me jobs that are not related to anything that I originally applied for or roles as a cleaner,” he said. I felt like that was quite insulting because at just 21 with my life still ahead of me, these companies think that being a cleaner is the best job that I can take.”

ASSOCIATIONS LENDING A HELPING HAND

In Singapore, we have one of the highest population rates when compared to South Asia Pacific countries. In fact, in 2015, we were just second to Thailand with a prison population of 228,000. With that said, non-profit organizations such as the Yellow Ribbon Project and the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA) have tried integrating ex-offenders back into society.

Merit Achievement Award winner Zulkhairee Bin Udik tells an interesting video story about how he had decided to change his life around after his sentence.

“Back in prison, there was this prison counsellor that pointed out I had a problem with housebreaking”, said the 45-year-old in the video. “When I started to accept that, it caused me to change for the better”.

Starting over is never easy. However, Zulkhairee picked himself up and now enjoys working side by side with his daughter and wife. In his own words “ It keeps me happy and satisfied with what I have around me”. PHOTO: YELLOW RIBBON PROJECT, FACEBOOK SCREENSHOT

He explains how he manages to start up his own canteen food stall after his first two failed business attempts in 2005. As they say, third time's a charm. He credits his success to his own hard work and counselling sessions with SANA.

BUILDING SELF CONFIDENCE WITH ISCOS

In addition, the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society Limited (ISCOS) also plays an important role in the aftercare of prisoners.

“We are that agency that helps ex-offenders and their families address different areas of needs such as providing family social and psychological support for both parties,” said the manager of communications and external relations Looi Jo Anne.

With just a payment fee of 20 Singapore Dollars, ex-offenders can join ISCOS as a member and enjoy the perks of the agency. In fact, the moment they become a member, they receive a goodie bag which is worth around 50 Singapore dollars. This membership also lasts a life-time with no renewal fees.

"We have members that have come to us 10 years later for help and we still help them. We never turn away anyone who needs help whether it's them, their families or children", added Joan Ann.

For instance, with only a few spots in Singapore offering Tele-visit services, ISOCS are one of the places that provide an avenue for ex-offenders to communicate with their loved ones over a video call.

Families of ex-offenders need to adhere to a strict dress code and are not allowed to bring in any materials like magazines when conferencing with their loved ones across the screen. PHOTO: RAHUL HARMINDER SINGH

When asked about the main issues ex-offenders face with reintegration into society, ISOCS deputy director Elvis Oversee talks about the adjustment period that they need when they are just released.

“Lock anybody in the prison system for a period of time, coming out is about adjustment. We need to build up their self-confidence to meet people due to the labelling that society might have on them”, said the 56-year old.

Oversee, who was a prison officer previously, talks about how he had talked to so many prisoners and many of them needed the support from society.

With that in mind, ISCOS introduced peer support groups for ex-offenders to build their relationship and trust with one another.

“Peer support is very important. They get to meet new people. Allowing them to learn and share from successful ex-offenders who have integrated into society”.

In order to make sure that ex-offenders feel safe and are able to share their problems with the agency, they pride themselves on being a friend to their members.

“ISCOS itself, the very important thing is that we keep emphasising on relationship building. We are their friend and we want them to come to us when they need help. Instead of sourcing help in other alternative ways that might land them into trouble" added the ex-prison officer.

A SON’S DREAM

Despite help from associations, a key issue that ex-offenders face is strained family ties. The loss of trust and bond between their family members may cause them to go back to the life of crime. Due to this, they never get a chance to fit into the norms of society.

Ason Muru was incarcerated 8 times for a total of 16 years. This was due to different crimes like related gang violence and each time he went in, his family ties started to grow apart.

“I do not blame them,” said the 47-year old. “I have broken so many promises to my family, that every time they wanted to trust me, they had to think twice”.

His turning point came when he met his son while he was in prison.

“He was 13 years old when he asked me when I was going to come out. He wanted me to bring him to school. He said he saw other students bringing their children to school and for him he had nobody”, mentioned the now self-employed Grab driver.

Looking through the glass and knowing that he could not fulfil his son’s wishes, he decided that this would have been the last time he went in.

“Mr Elvis who was my prison officer for a few years contacted me to join ISOCS”, he said. “When I went for their support groups, I was inspired and motivated”.

Muru who went there thinking he had the biggest issues, realised that everyone at the support group had shared issues that were on a bigger scale.

“I told myself, my issues are not as big as them. If they can make it? Why can’t I? ISCOS had helped me continue to move on from my past”.

Knowing him as his prison officer since the age of 18, Ason Muru (on the right) shares his appreciation with Elvis Overree (on the left) who had persuaded him to join ISOCS after Muru’s last incarceration. In his own words “Find alternative and positive ways to work instead of doing something negative ”. PHOTO: ARVINASH RAVINDRAN

NEVER ACCEPTING THEIR PAST

Determined not to let his son down, Muru worked hard and moved out from a rental to a purchased flat. Moreover, he began to give back to ISCOS by working as an outreach coordinator under the agency. He is currently helping other ex-offenders integrate back into society.

“I not only help ex-offenders in ISOCS. However, I also try to find and source for others that are not in the agency and help them too”.

However, after being on the straight and narrow for years, he still talks about how his grab passengers treat him differently when he mentions he was an ex-offender.

“I usually share with my passengers about ISOCS and what I do, they will tell me that I am doing a great job for the society and the people. But when I tell them that I myself was an offender they are shocked and they cannot accept it”, he mentions.

Nevertheless, he goes on to add how he can never change their mindset and only can focus on himself.

FAMILY THAT SAVES HIM

In his late thirties, an ex-offender who wanted to be known as Lee mentions how he stumbles back into the life of crime.

Having been imprisoned for a year and a half, Lee had come out of prison with no one to reconnect with. He started mixing with the company that had landed him in jail in the first place.

“Money was not the only reason why I became a loan shark again. It was because I felt no one cared about me even if I went back to jail”, he said.

He had no one to share his plight with and he applied for a job, he was rejected numerous times. He mentioned how it had made him feel “worthless and useless”.

Lee talked about how growing up his only family was his older brother and when he went in, they did not talk.

‘I tried to find my brother after my first sentence. But he had cut off all ties and was embarrassed”, said Lee.

He indulged himself in illegal activities and got caught a second time. This time his sentence in prison was longer.

“When I was inside for a second time, I didn’t’ care because I felt that being in prison was better as there was no one out there for me as a free man”.

He went on to explain how his older brother started to reach out when he was released again.

‘I was shocked. My brother suddenly showed up at my doorstep one day. He hugged me tightly telling me how he was so happy to see me and said sorry. He even offered to help me look for a job”, said the newly appointed technician.

This time, Lee had decided that he had someone to live for and wanted to spend more time with his brother. He turned over a new leaf and it has been more than 3 years since his last sentence.

"I am happy. Really happy. All I need is my brother and with his support I know I can do better", mentioned Lee.

MAKE A CHANGE

When asked what is one message Muru would like to tell Singaporeans, the phrase ‘No one is perfect’ came to mind. He urges the public to be more forgiving and accepting of them.

Though there have been instances whereby ex-offenders like Zulkhairee, who has managed to reintegrate back into the society, there is no doubt that there are plenty of instances whereby ex-offenders like Lange and Muru still step into the invisible prison in society after their release from prison.

Associations in Singapore do help them integrate effectively into society. However, there is only so much they can do. In fact, it is Singaporeans themselves who can make an actual change and reduce the stigma placed on them.

Singaporeans can do their fair share in helping ex-offenders and their families through organisations such as ISOCS. ISCOS themselves support an average of 400 children and 120 low-income families each year. PHOTO: ISCOS