Only one in four drug convicts undergoing rehabilitation

Only 1,506 of the 4,962 inmates convicted by courts for drug-related offences are currently undergoing rehabilitation, the Department of Prisons has informed a Parliamentary committee.

The figures were disclosed at a meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection chaired by MP Najith Indika.

Prison officials told the committee that rehabilitation programmes are provided to inmates referred by courts as well as those who voluntarily seek treatment.

However, the Department said the existing system lacked the capacity to provide rehabilitation opportunities to all inmates serving sentences for various offences.

The committee discussed strengthening rehabilitation programmes for drug-dependent inmates as part of efforts to tackle overcrowding in the country’s prisons.

Officials of the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board said measures were being taken to expand rehabilitation programmes, recruit additional personnel and strengthen rehabilitation services at Divisional Secretariat level across the country.

The committee also discussed the difficulties faced by rehabilitated persons in reintegrating into society, including problems encountered in obtaining certificates of good character.

Officials stressed the need to amend relevant laws and regulations to make the rehabilitation process more effective and facilitate the social reintegration of those who have undergone rehabilitation.

Representatives of the Department of Prisons, Department of Community Based Corrections, Bureau of Rehabilitation and National Dangerous Drugs Control Board attended the meeting.