Vocational Training and Remote Parenting Concept in Kenya Prisons

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Vocational Training and Remote Parenting Concept
in Kenya Prisons

• Presentation by COI Oliver Rapando
• Programme Liaison Officer- PRAWA
• Kenya Prisons Service

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AFRICA CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ASSOCIATION (ACSA)

• 2nd Biennial Conference Kampala, Uganda 2nd to
  5th October 2012
• Kampala, Uganda.

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Introduction

• Kenya Prisons Service (KPS) is established under
  Prisons Act Cap 90 and Borstal Institutions Act
  Cap 92 of the laws of Kenya.
• It is a department in the Office of the Vice
  President and Ministry of Home Affairs as an
  integral component of the criminal justice system
  in Kenya.
• The department is headed by the Commissioner of
  Prisons.
• There are currently 107 prisons including three
  institutions for young offenders.
• Prison population oscillates between
  45,000-50,000 inmates.

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Int. Ctnd.

• The Department is mandated to perform the
  following functions
• to contain and keep offenders in safe custody
  under humane conditions
• to rehabilitate offenders and
• to facilitate administration of justice and
• provision of facilities for children below the
  age of four year accompanying their mothers to
  prison

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Rehabilitation Programs

• Vocational Training Constitute a major
  rehabilitation programs in KPS
• This include but not limited to computer
  training, formal education, farming, commercial
  education programs, industrial training, hair
  dressing, and beauty design,
• A number of prisons are producing food sufficient
  to feed its prison population.
• Some prisons are self sufficient in vegetables
  production and rely on what is produced on their
  farms.
• Reduced costs for running prisons

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Remote Parenting in Prisons

• KPS holds open days in prisons to enable
  prisoners unite with family members usually
  during school holidays.
• Parents unite with children to monitor with
  progress of their children in school.
• This is a borrowed system from the Chinese model.
• Research has showed that it helps to reduce
  tension in prison as prisoners are able to
  follow-up on what is happening in the community.

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Tool for re-intergration

• Remote parenting has proven to be a useful tool
  for re-intergrating inmates back to the society.
• Helps to reduce recidivism thereby addressing
  increasing prison population.
• There are no cases reported of ex-convicts being
  rejected by the community

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Way Forward

• Enhanced collaboration with stakeholders in CJS-
  Police, Judiciary, Prosecution, Investigation ,
  Civil society, Government ministries media,
  among others.
• Embrace the concept of PPP in addressing some of
  the challenges in funding , staff housing,
  infrastructure improvement.
• Open Door Policy- Local and International donors
  to take prisons reform to next level.