RAWALPINDI: Academicians and researchers have demanded to set up rehabilitation centers for prisoners, both convicts and under trial, at the district or divisional level, to make Punjab jail inmates responsible citizens of the country.
Speaking at a two-day workshop on the Higher Education Commission-approved research project titled “Modernisation of Probation Services, Assessment of Risks, Needs of Prisoners”, the experts sought more salaries, perks, and privileges for the employees of Punjab Probation and Parole Service Department to turn it into a more active institution.
The experts include Professor Dr. Abdul Saboor, Dean Department of Social Sciences of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agricultural University; Deputy Director National Academy for Prison Administration Javed Iqbal Khokhar; Director Department of Gender and Crime Lab of the University of Carleton, Canada, Prof. Shelley Brown; Professor Mazhar Hussain Bhutta, Chairman Department of Criminology and Sociology; Deputy Director National Police Bureau Mian Muhammad Irfan; Spokesperson Punjab Probation and Parole Department, Hasan Raza; Fatima Jinnah Women’s University Department of Law and Policy Dr. Nadia; and Additional Director NAB Training and Research Yusuf Khan.
Probation Officers’ role in rehabilitation
Around 15 Probation Officers of the Punjab Probation and Parole Department especially participated in the workshop while students of the Sociology Department also read their research papers.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Mazhar Hussain Bhutta, investigator officer of the project and Chairman Department of Criminology and Sociology stressed the need for rehabilitation of prisoners, under-trial and convicts. He said their counseling be made more effective and at par with the global practices. Quoting data from January 2022 till date, he said some 55,687 prisoners and other inmates were sent on probation from Punjab jails. However, he lamented that the number of officers deployed for their counseling is not sufficient. He was of the view that prisoners’ counseling could be made more effective by increasing the number of probation officers. He said the Department is mandated to make the prisoners abandon the crime world and make them productive citizens of the country. It also includes assessing mental health and social needs of the prisoners.
Dean of Social Sciences, Prof. Dr. Abdul Saboor urged the concerned to devise a unanimous future strategy to cope with the challenges. He appreciated the efforts of Professor Bhutta and his team for their valuable contributions in this regard. He hoped that the recommendations, prepared would prove helpful for the policymakers in public sector.
Prof. Shelley Brown, Director Department of Gender and Crime Lab of the University of Carleton, Canada said a good theory and thinking for solving social problems will put us in the right direction. He was of the view that increasing the efficiency of the officers attached to the Punjab Probation and Parole Department was need of the hour.
He proposed that the probation period for prisoners involved in serious, immoral crimes should be from one to three years. The Probation officers of the Department informed the participants about the issues and challenges faced by their institution. — APP
