2007 07: Help for the boys behind bars

The Star Online. Metro. Friday July 20, 2007

Kumar (not his real name), 13, has been detained at the Kajang Boys Prison for the past three months for allegedly stealing a handphone.

To bail him out, his parents need to pay RM2,500. The amount is too much for Kumar’s family to afford as they barely have enough to survive.

So Kumar continues to stay behind bars, uncertain of when he would be able to return home again or what the future holds for him, pending a court decision, which can drag on for months.

“When these boys were caught, they were charged under the Penal Code which gives the warrant to send them here,” said Kajang Prison deputy superintendent Ranjit Singh Gurdev Singh.

“People have asked me why parents do not bail their children out, but they do not know of the extreme poverty some of these families have to endure. Some poor parents are happy when their children can find some money of their own. But they are not bothered to know how and where their children get the money from,” said Ranjit Singh.

Currently, there are about 600 teenage boys detained in the prison, of which 400 are under remand while the rest are convicted prisoners.

“It’s sad that these young boys, for some petty offences committed, are spending an undefined amount of time in prison while waiting for their cases to be heard by courts. That’s why the prison has drawn up a list of daily programmes from basic vocational skills to education to help them pick up something while they are here,” Ranjit said.

Also investing their time and effort to help the boys are facilitators from the Shelter Home for Children, who teach basic computer skills, facilitate group therapy sessions, as well as teach examination subjects for those sitting for the PMR and SPM.

“There’s no future for these poor boys without education,” Shelter executive director James Nayagam said.

“When they come out, they would have lost out on education and unable to go back to school again, especially since they have dropped out for three months or so. They carry a stigma that becomes the talk of the town.

“Without acceptance from society, they turn to their old circle of bad friends again and this is what triggers a vicious cycle,” said Nayagam.

He said Shelter Home was very concerned about the mental development of the teenagers.

“These are boys at their prime with their blood rushing. They should be out playing soccer, watching movie with friends, or be involved in activities that keep their brain active. When they are imprisoned, they feel a sense of disappointment, regret, hopelessness and anxiety. About 80% of them have self-esteem that are below average,” Nayagam said.

“I believe rehabilitation is the answer to making them better persons, not punishment. Mental development programmes are vital to help these boys to speak about their parents and upbringing in a therapeutic way. Without being taught to express their feelings, they will grow up to become vengeful adults,” said Nayagam.

He appreciates the good work the prison is doing in helping the boys. But he questions the lack of action by other agencies.

“Where are these parties? What are they doing to help? Why is preference given to VIPs for court hearings when there are boys waiting for people to show them some mercy?” he asked.

Shelter Home workers visit the prison on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays to facilitate the various classes for the boys aged between 13 and 19.

It has been three and half years now since the programme started. On Saturdays, Shelter brings in dental and medical teams to conduct check-ups on the boys.

Nayagam also writes recommendation letters addressed to the courts to help reduce jail sentences, reduce bail, or acquit the boys. This year alone, he has, through his recommendations, helped to dispose of cases, provide bail, and acquitted some 200 of them.
Ranjit said 19 boys in the prison were illiterate.

“For this group, the prison conducts the basic 3M (membaca, menulis, mengira) classes to help them read, write, and count. A member of our staff also guides the Muslim boys who don’t know how to pray and know nothing about Islam as they are illiterate,” Ranjit said.

Assistant superintendent Thavamany Gopal said the prison had also started a Putra Programme, where the boys were trained in marching while the Therapeutic Community (TC) programme for convicted prisoners is a behaviour modification and management programme for prisoners convicted on drug addiction and crime.

“At the end of the day, we want them to be assertive enough to say no to drugs. For rape cases, we conduct psycho-drama techniques to help the rapists release their feelings. A lot of self-awareness is involved, as we teach them about respect for women,” said Thavamany, a trained counsellor.

Ranjit later showed StarMetro a cell which has been converted into a library with books donated by the Rotary Club of Ampang. Then, there is another cell with sewing machines for the boys to pick up tailoring skills.

If only the boys were charged differently under the Juvenile Court, they would be sent to Henry Gurney School in Malacca and not end up here.

As for young Kumar, Nayagam will be writing a recommendation letter in order to relocate him to Tunas Bakti, a remand centre with a homely setting.

Shelter Home, meanwhile, is in need of more volunteers to facilitate classes at the prison and funding that would be channelled directly there.

To assist, call 012-314 1100 or 03-7955 0663, or write to P.O Box 23, Jalan Sultan, Petaling Jaya. Alternatively, log on to http://www.shelterhome.org/