Photo: Philip Kochetkov / TASS
About 44% of released Russian prisoners commit crimes again and return to prison, Justice Minister Konstantin Chuichenko said at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin. Transcript of the conversation published on the Kremlin website.
According to Chuichenko, about 100,000 people are released from the colony every year, but the risk of relapse is high because they are not prepared for life outside of prison – they have no means, cannot get a job and need help. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to start work on the resocialization of prisoners while still in places of serving sentences, the minister noted.
He suggested creating an appropriate service within the structure of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN). She will prepare prisoners for release, deal with their social adaptation. The program will be individual and last about a year, but it will not become mandatory – it will only take effect with the consent of the convict.
Putin approved the idea to introduce the post of deputy head of the Federal Penitentiary Service to help convicts
Work with convicts will begin in places of deprivation of liberty, and then will continue. Those released will be able to receive education, they will be helped with access to social and medical services, they will also have access to legal advice and psychological assistance. In addition, those released from prison will be helped “in establishing socially useful ties,” Chuichenko added.