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SINGAPORE: Ethan (not his real name) keeps his days busy by exercising regularly, mingling with friends, and playing board games like Scrabble and chess.
The 38-year-old also plans and conducts courses in basic English, information technology, and arts and music for his peers. The days go by gradually and sometimes not fast enough.
Ethan has been in prison for the past five years. With the current referral system, he still has seven years left of his 16-year sentence for methamphetamine trafficking.
“The challenges I face are my own emotions, as thoughts about the rest of my sentence,” he told CNA on Thursday (October 22) in a telephone interview from Changi Prison.
“I’m almost halfway there, but there is still a considerable amount of time left. So this can be quite stressful at times. It can be challenging for me.”
Ethan says he’s thankful that most of his time in prison is filled with work, amid struggles with the length of his sentence. (Photo: Singapore Prison Service)
Ethan is grateful for anything that keeps him busy. For example, your job coaching other inmates requires you to plan courses in advance and review them. He is also grateful for prison officials who are willing to listen to his problems.
“In the environment I find myself in, inmates also face quite long sentences, so the officers care about us and our family,” he said.
“I remember RO Sherman telling me that when I get out of jail, I am still young and will have a good future ahead of me. Therefore, I should cherish my life and live it with determination.”
Ethan was referring to Rehabilitation Officer (RO) Sherman Kwang, an officer in the housing unit at Institution A1 of the Changi Correctional Complex.
HELPING INMATES TO CHANGE
ROs are uniformed officers who ensure the safe custody of inmates, establish order and discipline, and create a suitable environment for rehabilitation.
The latter involves inmates coming up with an action plan for their time in prison and beyond, asking them about their well-being and needs, monitoring their progress, and proactively engaging them regarding their challenges.
READ: I’m sorry for how you treated inmates: This former prison director has been advising you for 15 years
RO Kwang, 28, is also featured in a video posted last week by the Singapore Prison Service (SPS), where he supports an “inmate” who is stressed out by his family and an upcoming prison exam.
The video is part of SPS ‘latest Captains of Lives campaign, which aims to showcase the work that prison officials and staff do to rehabilitate and reintegrate inmates.
RO Kwang, who joined SPS two and a half years ago after studying criminology at university and was intrigued by the theories behind prison and rehabilitation, counts Ethan as one of 15 inmates he is in charge.
The two meet once a week, where RO Kwang asks Ethan about his family and how he manages in prison, as well as the goals he set for himself after his release. Officers meet inmates who need the most help more often.
While the interviews with Ethan and RO Kwang were facilitated by SPS, there were times when the authenticity of their relationship became apparent.
Ethan remembers an occasion earlier this year before the start of the “breaker” when RO Kwang helped him out of a dark place. Ethan said that he had just come from a visit with his family and felt oppressed.
“During the visit, my parents expressed their pain and disappointment for me, and that affected me a lot because after the visit, I got angry and angry with myself for disappointing my parents,” he said.
RO Kwang noticed Ethan’s body language and asked him what happened.
“I am willing to share because I can feel that he is really willing to help me and is patient listening to my problems,” Ethan said.
“He gave me very good and positive advice, and said that I was the one who had done wrong to my parents, so I should be patient with them.
“Ultimately, I have hurt them for so many years, so I can’t wait for them to believe me and not be disappointed. Therefore, I should give them time to see the changes in me.”
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RO Kwang said that he was not trying to tell Ethan what to do or what is right or wrong, but to ask him to reflect on things. “That’s the least we can do,” he told CNA in a separate telephone interview.
This episode reinforced Ethan’s impression of RO Kwang as someone who is empathetic and willing to go the extra mile to support inmates.
For example, when Ethan needed to print some grammar exercises as part of the course materials, RO Kwang helped him even though he didn’t need it.
“He’s always ready to help and he’s always on the ground interacting with inmates,” Ethan said. “There are many ways he shows us compassion.”
A FINE LINE
Ethan believes it is “vital” to have support officers.
“If I don’t have anyone to prove my worth (in prison), why do I have to switch? So when I see the officers going the extra mile to uncover our problems, advise us, and encourage us, it really helps us a lot in our rehabilitation, ”he added.
“However, I also recognize that in a prison environment, support and rigor cannot sustain one another. There are still cases where discipline is necessary.”
RO Kwang says his job includes checking inmates for aftercare assistance, including job referrals after they are released. (Photo: Singapore Prison Service)
While RO Kwang said that he wants to show the prisoners that he is willing to help and listen to them, he tries to “draw a fine line” in their relationship.
“I don’t want to be too friendly with them like we are friends,” he said, adding that fist bumps or hugs are not part of the equation.
RO Kwang acknowledged that there are prisoners who are particularly difficult to deal with, including those who get angry and argue with other prisoners. In these cases, you usually give them time to calm down before talking to them again.
“We have to spend more time, not just a few minutes or hours, but maybe days for them to calm down,” he said. “We are all trained to deal with difficult prisoners.”
READ: ‘I want to change … and I need help’: Repeat drug addicts on a mission to stay clean
RO Kwang recalled an occasion over a year ago when an inmate sat on the ground and refused to leave his cell to go to work in the prison. It turned out that the inmate’s wife had filed for divorce.
“When I consulted him, he was very angry and disappointed and even raised his voice when he answered me,” RO Kwang said.
“I could see his frustration and disappointment and I don’t think he wanted to work that day. So I gave him some time to calm down in his cell. And then I got him involved again after a while.”
READ: More inmates expected in drug rehab center; more manpower needed for programs
RO Kwang said he was glad that the inmate finally apologized and was receptive to what he had to say, noting that officers should be patient when dealing with inmates.
“We know that he raised his voice or showed bad attitude not on purpose, but for other reasons,” he said.
“So for me, I try to put myself in his shoes and ask him how I would feel if my wife wanted to divorce me. So from there, I think we can act accordingly and rationally.”
“NO INMATE IS THE SAME”
RO Kwang said that the ability to recognize when an inmate is acting differently and prevent problems is one of the most challenging aspects of the job.
“We need to be very observant and vigilant, and learn to expect the unexpected,” he said.
“No prisoner is the same. They come with their own stories and difficulties. We need to feel that, check with them and guide them accordingly. If there is a dispute, we must stop them immediately and accordingly.”
File photo of inmates at Changi Prison taking notes during a religious counseling session. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
In fact, when RO Kwang was new to the job, he had heard that Ethan used to be a “very angry type of person” who had disputes with his fellow inmates.
“But I see that it has changed and dropped a lot, and has become more responsible,” he said.
“Now he is working as a coach; the job allows him to be more responsible and set a good example. I see a lot of changes in him and I see that he is quite motivated, eager to live abroad, of how he can do better.”
READ: More Admitted to Drug Rehab Center in 2019, Driven by Law Changes Aimed at Reducing Relapse
While Ethan said he cannot avoid the heartache over his lengthy sentence and if he is wasting his life, he is grateful to be learning new skills in prison through computer and public speaking courses.
It is something he plans to continue to do even after his release, as he promised to also volunteer as a prison counselor to help other inmates turn the page.
“I think that with my past circumstances and crimes, if I can change my life for the better, anyone can change too,” he said.
BREAKING THE STIGMA
But most of all, Ethan said that he longs to be reunited with his family with his mother’s homemade food every day.
“It has been a long time since I had a good meal at home with my family,” he lamented. “It is not the food, but the company that counts; the family that I can sit with and share a meal and bond with.”
When asked if he feared the stigma of being a former criminal, Ethan admitted that “there will still be some challenges in society.”
“I know I have my flaws. The most important thing is to stay away from drugs and live a life that doesn’t put drugs and money as a priority,” he said.
“I can’t help how people will view me or my sentence. But it is my responsibility to change myself and live my life the right way.”
RO Kwang says the best part of her job is having a positive impact on prisoners, creating a “ripple effect” by improving the lives of their families. (Photo: Singapore Prison Service)
RO Kwang said that he is especially pleased when inmates are motivated to change for the better in prison, and stated that he knows it is not easy for them.
“I will also be proud that they have managed to persevere and open a new chapter in their lives,” he said.
RO Kwang also agreed to appear in the SPS short film, as he thought it was a good way for the public to see criminals in a different light, and would hopefully give them a second chance.
“I hope that the families of the ex-offenders and also our community, most importantly, can embrace them and give them a second chance when they work hard to achieve it,” he added.
