ladyarkles
04-03-2005, 10:14 PM
Captains of lives
Nothing pleases the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) more than seeing its inmates rehabilitated and functioning in society—call it human drama at its best. The SPS is of the enduring belief that this does not happen easily without the motivation and support inmates receive from their families.
Regular visits are important in the rehabilitation process, says James Tye, head of technology. "The biggest reason for the tele-visit and IHT is because family bonds play an important role," he adds. "The family that is there to support, forgive and take inmates back makes a big difference in their lives and we want to preserve that. We don't want to have any physical barrier—because of time, space or other physical constraints—that makes it difficult for family members to visit."
The SPS is well aware of the barriers separating inmates and their families and has set up the Internet Home Tele-visit (IHT), a US$420,600 project tendered out to the Singapore Computer Systems, to mitigate problems such as conventional visiting hours and far-flung prison locales. For example, visiting hours for visitors on the IHT have now been extended beyond office hours and to Sundays and public holidays, a welcome move apparently, says Tye, as the peak period is now between five and seven in the evenings.
The SPS also has cause to celebrate as it too reaps manpower and time savings as inmates using the IHT no longer needs to leave their accommodation areas as facilities are in the housing units, freeing officers to counsel offenders and conduct rehabilitation programme.
source CIO- Asia
Nothing pleases the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) more than seeing its inmates rehabilitated and functioning in society—call it human drama at its best. The SPS is of the enduring belief that this does not happen easily without the motivation and support inmates receive from their families.
Regular visits are important in the rehabilitation process, says James Tye, head of technology. "The biggest reason for the tele-visit and IHT is because family bonds play an important role," he adds. "The family that is there to support, forgive and take inmates back makes a big difference in their lives and we want to preserve that. We don't want to have any physical barrier—because of time, space or other physical constraints—that makes it difficult for family members to visit."
The SPS is well aware of the barriers separating inmates and their families and has set up the Internet Home Tele-visit (IHT), a US$420,600 project tendered out to the Singapore Computer Systems, to mitigate problems such as conventional visiting hours and far-flung prison locales. For example, visiting hours for visitors on the IHT have now been extended beyond office hours and to Sundays and public holidays, a welcome move apparently, says Tye, as the peak period is now between five and seven in the evenings.
The SPS also has cause to celebrate as it too reaps manpower and time savings as inmates using the IHT no longer needs to leave their accommodation areas as facilities are in the housing units, freeing officers to counsel offenders and conduct rehabilitation programme.
source CIO- Asia