“Resocialization of convicts is a big and problematic issue in the contemporary penal policy of Kazakhstan. We hope that Norwegian expertise and experience can help to solve this problem,” said ambassador Halvorsen during the press conference at Astana’s House of Journalists on Wednesday. The press conference was attended by various media representatives, and the attending showed great interest in the international experience on rehabilitation of ex-prisoners. Participating in the panel together with ambassador Halvorsen were the Regional Director of Penal Reform International in Central Asia Saule Mektepbayeva, national experts in criminal justice and rehabilitation, and ex-prisoners. The latter shared with the audience their personal experiences of the challenges former prisoners face when they are to be reintegrated into society after serving a long sentence in jail.
Penal Reform International’s project, which is planned to run over two years, has the objective to protect the rights of ex-prisoners through research and through the development of rehabilitation systems with the use of modern methods. In particular, it focuses on enhancing the efforts of the state, and the prospects of cooperation with civil society, on providing these services.
In January 2011 the functions of social adaptation and rehabilitation of ex-prisoners were transferred from the prison services to the akimats. Today many of the resocialization programs are provided by religious centres and a small number of NGOs, but given the large number of prisoners released each year Penal Reform International argues that there should be a government run program to meet the needs of the ex-prisoners. Rehabilitation is not just important for the reintegration of former prisoners in society, but also for the security of the society and the prevetion of recidivism. Statistics indicate that as many as 49% of the prisoners in Kazakhstan have been previously convicted, and 63% have already served sentences.