Treatment and Rehabilitation of Prisoners/ Inmates/ PDL's
Treatment and Rehabilitation of Prisoners/ Inmates/ PDL's
Treatment and Rehabilitation of Prisoners/ Inmates/ PDL's
Module 2
Treatment and Rehabilitation of Prisoners/ Inmates/ PDL’s
I. Introduction
In this lesson, you shall learn and understand offer treatment plans as comprehensive as those found at centers.
Treatment often comprises a structured detoxification phase, psychotherapy and support group meetings.
Community treatment services provide continued care to individuals released from prison who enter halfway
houses or home confinement. Through the program, certified addiction specialists and specialized agencies offer services
such as crisis management and mental health therapy. Also they learn the Minimum standard on the treatment of PDL’s
and how they can recover under this PPA and the supervision of VPA’s.
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners under the U.N.
Register
In every place where persons are imprisoned there shall be kept a bound registration book with numbered pages
in which shall be entered in respect of each prisoner received:
( a ) Information concerning his identity;
( b ) The reasons for his commitment and the authority therefor;
( c ) The day and hour of his admission and release.
No person shall be received in an institution without a valid commitment order of which the details shall have
been previously entered in the register.
Separation of categories
The different categories of prisoners shall be kept in separate institutions or parts of institutions taking account of
their sex, age, criminal record, the legal reason for their detention and the necessities of their treatment. Thus,
( a ) Men and women shall so far as possible be detained in separate institutions; in an institution which receives
both men and women the whole of the premises allocated to women shall be entirely separate;
( b ) Untried prisoners shall be kept separate from convicted prisoners;
( c ) Persons imprisoned for debt and other civil prisoners shall be kept separate from persons imprisoned by
reason of a criminal offence;
( d ) Young prisoners shall be kept separate from adults.
Accommodation
Where sleeping accommodation is in individual cells or rooms, each prisoner shall occupy by night a cell or room
by himself. If for special reasons, such as temporary overcrowding, it becomes necessary for the central prison
administration to make an exception to this rule, it is not desirable to have two prisoners in a cell or room.
Where dormitories are used, they shall be occupied by prisoners carefully selected as being suitable to associate
with one another in those conditions. There shall be regular supervision by night, in keeping with the nature of the
institution.
All accommodation provided for the use of prisoners and in particular all sleeping accommodation shall meet all
requirements of health, due regard being paid to climatic conditions and particularly to cubic content of air, minimum floor
space, lighting, heating and ventilation. In all places where prisoners are required to live or work.
Personal hygiene
Prisoners shall be required to keep their persons clean, and to this end they shall be provided with water and with
such toilet articles as are necessary for health and cleanliness.
In order that prisoners may maintain a good appearance compatible with their self-respect, facilities shall be
provided for the proper care of the hair and beard, and men shall be enabled to shave regularly.
Food
Every prisoner shall be provided by the administration at the usual hours with food of nutritional value adequate
for health and strength, of wholesome quality and well prepared and served. Drinking water shall be available to every
prisoner whenever he needs it.
Medical services
At every institution there shall be available the services of at least one qualified medical officer who should have
some knowledge of psychiatry. The medical services should be organized in close relationship to the general health
administration of the community or nation. They shall include a psychiatric service for the diagnosis and, in proper cases,
the treatment of states of mental abnormality.
Sick prisoners who require specialist treatment shall be transferred to specialized institutions or to civil hospitals.
Where hospital facilities are provided in an institution, their equipment, furnishings and pharmaceutical supplies shall be
proper for the medical care and treatment of sick prisoners, and there shall be a staff of suitable trained officers.
The following shall always be determined by the law or by the regulation of the competent administrative
authority:
( a ) Conduct constituting a disciplinary offence;
( b ) The types and duration of punishment which may be inflicted;
( c ) The authority competent to impose such punishment.
No prisoner shall be punished except in accordance with the terms of such law or regulation, and never twice for
the same offence.
Module 2 Treatment and Rehabilitation of Prisoners/ Inmates/ PDL’s Page | 5
Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo
Please visit this web. for further information.(The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
https://www.unodc.org › justice-and-prison-reform)
Guiding principles
The guiding principles hereafter are intended to show the spirit in which penal institutions should be administered
and the purposes at which they should aim, in accordance with the declaration made under Preliminary Observation 1 of
the present text.
Imprisonment and other measures which result in cutting off an offender from the outside world are afflictive by
the very fact of taking from the person the right of self-determination by depriving him of his liberty. Therefore the prison
system shall not, except as incidental to justifiable segregation or the maintenance of discipline, aggravate the suffering
inherent in such a situation.
The purpose and justification of a sentence of imprisonment or a similar measure deprivative of liberty is
ultimately to protect society against crime. This end can only be achieved if the period of imprisonment is used to ensure,
so far as possible, that upon his return to society the offender is not only willing but able to lead a law-abiding and self-
supporting life.
To this end, the institution should utilize all the remedial, educational, moral, spiritual and other forces and forms
of assistance which are appropriate and available, and should seek to apply them according to the individual treatment
needs of the prisoners.
So far as possible separate institutions or separate sections of an institution shall be used for the treatment of the
different classes of prisoners. As soon as possible after admission and after a study of the personality of each prisoner with
a sentence of suitable length, a programme of treatment shall be prepared for him in the light of the
knowledge obtained about his individual needs, his capacities and dispositions.
Privileges
Systems of privileges appropriate for the different classes of prisoners and the different methods of treatment
shall be established at every institution, in order to encourage good conduct, develop a sense of responsibility and secure
the interest and co-operation of the prisoners in their treatment.
Work
Prison labour must not be of an afflictive nature. All prisoners under sentence shall be required to work, subject to
their physical and mental fitness as determined by the medical officer.
Sufficient work of a useful nature shall be provided to keep prisoners actively employed for a normal working day.
So far as possible the work provided shall be such as will maintain or increase the prisoners, ability to earn an honest living
after release. Vocational training in useful trades shall be provided for prisoners able to profit thereby and especially for
young prisoners. Within the limits compatible with proper vocational selection and with the requirements of institutional
administration and discipline, the prisoners shall be able to choose the type of work they wish to perform. Government the
full normal wages for such work shall be paid to the administration by the persons to whom the labour is supplied, account
being taken of the output of the prisoners.
Services and agencies, governmental or otherwise, which assist released prisoners to re-establish themselves in
society shall ensure, so far as is possible and necessary, that released prisoners be provided with appropriate documents
and identification papers, have suitable homes and work to go to, are suitably and adequately clothed having regard to the
climate and season, and have sufficient means to reach their destination and maintain themselves in the period
immediately following their release.
The approved representatives of such agencies shall have all necessary access to the institution and to prisoners
and shall be taken into consultation as to the future of a prisoner from the beginning of his sentence. It is desirable that the
activities of such agencies shall be centralized or coordinated as far as possible in order to secure the best use of their
efforts.
Objective: To effect the rehabilitation and reintegration of probationers, parolees, pardonees, and first-time minor drug
offenders as productive, law-abiding and socially responsible members of the community through
1. Well-planned supervision programs for probationers, parolees, pardonees, and first-time minor drug offenders
which are aligned to national program thrusts of the government, such as, the Sariling-Sikap, Jail Decongestion, etc.
2. Establishment of innovative and financially and technically feasible projects for the moral, spiritual and
economic upliftment of probationers, parolees, pardonees, and first-time minor drug offenders utilizing available
community resources.
All offenders granted probation, parole, pardon and suspended sentence. The Administration has adopted a
harmonized and integrated treatment program for these clients to effect their rehabilitation. This harmonized and
integrated program involves (1) The Therapeutic Community Modality (2) The Restorative Justice Principles and Concepts
and (3) the Use of Volunteer Probation Aides (VPAs).
The Therapeutic Community Modality is a self-help social learning treatment model used for clients with problems
of drug abuse and other behavioral problems such as alcoholism, stealing, and other anti-social tendencies. As a treatment
model, it includes four (4) categories, namely, behavior management, intellectual/spiritual aspect, emotional and social
aspects, and vocational/survival aspects.
In this regard, the Therapeutic Community Modality provides a well-defined structure for a synchronized and focused
implementation of the various intervention strategies/activities undertaken by the Agency such as:
tailoring, dressmaking, basic computer training, etc. through coordination with local barangays, parish centers, schools and
civic organizations.
7. Community Service
This program refers to the services in the community rendered by clients for the benefit of society. It includes tree
planting, beautification drives, cleaning and greening of surroundings, maintenance of public parks and places, garbage
collection, blood donation and similar socio-civic activities.
Considering that it is in the community that the rehabilitation of clients takes place, the utilization of therapeutic
community treatment model coupled with the principles of restorative justice would be further energized with the
recruitment, training and deployment of Volunteer Probation Aides (VPAs). The VPA program is a strategy to generate
maximum participation of the citizens in the community-based program of probation and parole. Through the VPAs, the
substance of restorative justice is pursued with deeper meaning since the VPAs are residents of the same community where
the clients they supervise reside. Thus, it is practicable for the volunteers to solicit support for clients’ needs and assist the
field officers in supervising the probationers, parolees, and pardonees.
The Therapeutic Community treatment modality, Restorative Justice paradigm and deployment of VPAs integrated
into one rehabilitation program have yielded tremendous outcome in the rehabilitation and reformation of probationers,
parolees, pardonees, and first-time minor drug offenders.
Furthermore, the Agency believes that the client’s family is a major part or support in the rehabilitation process,
thus the Administration adopts the Integrated Allied Social Services program to address the needs of the children and other
minor dependent of the clients. Under the said program, interventions relative to the growth and development of the
minor dependents are done to help them become productive, law abiding and effective individuals.
1. To amplify the extent of services rendered to clients in an effective yet economical means through the use of
volunteers;
2. To develop a competent corps of VPAs who will assist the PPA officers in the effective supervision of clients;
3. To inculcate greater citizen awareness and understanding of the criminal justice system;
4. To enhance community participation in crime prevention, treatment of offenders and criminal justice
administration; and
5. To foster an attitude of meaningful involvement in the social, economic, cultural and political affairs of the
community.
3. Maintain an honest recording and monthly reporting of activities to the Supervising PPO;
4. Devote substantial and quality time for supervision of clients and perform the following tasks:
1. Direct Supervisor
The VPA should undertake the following:
Supervise a maximum of five clients at any given time;
Work Closely with a PPO and discuss the treatment plans and status of clients;
Submit a monthly accomplishment report to the PPO.
2. Resource Individual
The VPA may act as a:
Resource speaker during training activities, information drives, etc.
Counsellor;
Donor, sponsor or resource manager during fund-raising activities; 2.4 Program coordinator of client
activities; and a
Mediator, RJ Implementer, TC Facilitator.
Community corrections includes probation, an alternative sentence to jail or prison/detention, as well as paroling
authorities which have responsibility for hearings on releasing offenders from incarceration or detention and supervision
following release.
Model inmate
Model prisoner: one who obeys the rules, takes the classes, helps others and doesn't get in trouble. Some snitch,
some are perceived to be snitches, sometimes they get favors from the guards.
TC is a tool that the Parole and Probation Administration uses to prepare the client for reintegration to the
community as a reformed, rehabilitated, productive, drug-free and law abiding person.
2. TC adheres to precepts of right living: Truth/honesty; Here and now; Personal responsibility for destiny; Social
responsibility (brother’s keeper); Moral Code; Inner person is “good” but behavior can be “bad”; Change is the only
certainty; Work ethics; Self-reliance; Psychological converges with philosophical (e.g. guilt kills).
4. It believes that TC is a place where: One can change – unfold; the group can foster change; individuals must take
responsibility; structures must accommodate this; Act as if – go through the motion.
5. There are 5 distinct categories treatment of activity that help promote the change:
Relational/Behavior Management
Affective/Emotional/Psychological
Cognitive/Intellectual
Spiritual
Psychomotor/Vocational-Survival Skills
These tools serve more than just the purpose of curbing unproductive behavior. They are also a means used for
enforcing community sanctions on behavior that undermine the safety and integrity of the community such as violations of
the cardinal rules of TC: NO drugs, NO violence or threat of violence, NO sexual acting out and NO stealing! Everything an
officer does is meant to erase “street behavior” and to lead the offender to be committed to “right living”.
When the office gives seminars and tutorials, arranges activities focused on the Higher Power, conducts games,
educational trips and other recreational activities, we touch on the TC aspect of Intellectual and Spiritual Dimension. Aside
Module 2 Treatment and Rehabilitation of Prisoners/ Inmates/ PDL’s Page | 10
Republic of the Philippines
NORTHERN ILOILO POLYTECHNIC STATE COLLEGE
VICTORINO SALCEDO CAMPUS
Sara, Iloilo
from the role of a direct supervisor, the VPAs may be the invited resource persons, donors/sponsors, facilitators, lecturers,
etc. during these seminars.
The skills training and livelihood activities fall within the purview of TC’s Vocational and Survival Skills, so with
Medical/Dental Clinics and Environmental Conservation activities. In this aspect, the VPAs can facilitate job placement and
can tap community resources for clients social and physical needs.
Therapeutic Community is a tool that the Administration uses to prepare the client for reintegration to the
community as a reformed, rehabilitated, productive, drug-free and law abiding person.
IV. Assessment
Scoring Guide:
Each answer shall be evaluated using these criteria:
Content 10 pts.
Organization of ideas 10 pts.
Language facility 10 pts.
Originality 10 pts
Total score: 40 pts
V. Enrichment:
Answer the following essay question?
1. How are Therapeutic Communities Integrated into the Criminal Justice System?
2. How is Treatment provide in a Therapeutic Community?
Scoring Guide:
Each answer shall be evaluated using these criteria:
Content 25 pts.
Organization of ideas 10 pts.
Language facility 5 pts.
Total score: 40 pts.
VI. References
Renor A,N., et al. (2019). Comprehensive Correctional Administration Handbook with Therapeutic Modalities. Quezon City,
Philippines. Wiseman’s Books Trading Inc.
Lippke, Richard (2001). "Criminal Offenders and Right Forfeiture". Journal of Social Philosophy. New York.
Villaluz, AJ (2012). Institutional Correction with addendum on Act. Number Instructional Manual. Quezon City, Philippines.
Wiseman’s Books Trading Inc.
The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (unodc.org)