Second Chance: How Penitentiary Inspection Officers Help Start Life from a Clean Slate

After serving a criminal sentence, many citizens sincerely want to find an honest job, start a family and forget the past, but not everyone can adapt to a new life alone. Staff of the penitentiary inspection and specialists of social services come to the rescue. About how teamwork helps to break past ties and return to normal life – in the material of the correspondent of the agency “Minsk-Novosti”.

The tasks of the Penitentiary Inspectorate (IIA) go far beyond monitoring compliance with the restrictions established by the court. Employees of this service interact daily with people who are serving or have already served their sentences. Once free, citizens face the same difficulties: acute lack of money, loss of socialization, difficulties with housing and restoration of documents.

The main goal of the IRI staff is to do everything possible so that the person realizes past mistakes and accepts the outstretched helping hand. Narcologists, psychologists, specialists of employment centers and social workers are also involved in the process of socialization. Thus, the UII of the Partizan police department cooperates on an ongoing basis with the district territorial center for social services of the population.

In the center, the victims are provided with a wide range of gratuitous assistance: restoration of lost documents (passports, work books), legal and psychological consultations, humanitarian and material assistance; assistance in restoring lost family ties and solving difficult life situations. In addition, on the basis of TCSON there is a specialized consulting point "Work in Minsk", where everyone is helped to choose a suitable vacancy and make a resume.

TCSON specialists not only receive citizens in the center, but also regularly go to preventive meetings with previously convicted persons, organized on the basis of the Partizan police department.

- Our main task is to show the person that he is not left alone with his problems. Many people after their release are confused and do not know where to start. We come to such meetings to give a clear algorithm: what documents to draw up, where to turn, where to find work. If there is a desire to change your life, we will do everything to support a person on this path, said Lilia Volochkova, a specialist of the center.

UIA staff use their own, time-tested methods of preventive work. This is not only individual conversations and control at the place of residence, but also the involvement of wards in charitable and creative work, for example, in the improvement of urban areas. Occupational therapy and constant attention of law enforcement officers help citizens to distract from bad habits and restore discipline.

Veronika Myalenkova, inspector of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Partizan Police Department, stressed that such interdepartmental interaction brings significant results.

- When police control is combined with real social assistance, we see people changing. A good example is the story of our 35-year-old. The man had previously been repeatedly convicted for drug trafficking, but by court decision he underwent treatment for addiction. With our active support and the help of social services, he got a job as a nurse in one of the metropolitan clinics. Over the past two years, he has not allowed a single violation of the law, he works honestly, has fully established his life and now plans to start a family, said V. Myalenkova.

It is important to note that the story of this Minsk citizen is the best proof that everyone has a chance to rewrite their fate. The main thing is to give up the past in time and accept help.