Convicts return to crime: after ZIKS they can be thrown'

Without a minimal chance for employment, ex-prisoners often make a living by reentering crime.

As long as the situation is like this, the expediency of prison sentences is being questioned in Montenegro. And the fact that the State does not carry out high-quality post-penal acceptance activities is evidenced by the fact that the Employment Service of Montenegro has not designed a program for the possible employment of ex-prisoners.

"Ex-convicts or persons in post-penal treatment, according to the degree of employability, are classified into the category of difficult or difficult-to-employable persons, due to often combined problems that can be an obstacle to employment. In addition to the fact that these persons have been in an isolated environment for a long period of time, i.e. prison, and lost contact with the outside world and the changes happening on the market, often the lack of appropriate knowledge and skills, also represents an obstacle in employment," said Aleksandar Rakočević, senior employment advisor at the Podgorica Labor Bureau.

Left to their own devices

According to Rakočević, accumulated family problems, a difficult financial situation, habits from a previous life, possibly impaired health status can also pose difficulties for re-engagement in the working environment.

Rakočević points out that convicts should be prepared for what awaits them outside while still in prison.

As soon as we leave the prison walls, we are left to our own devices.

"Apart from the family who tells us that everything has changed outside, nobody in the prison informs us about anything, let alone warns us about employment problems. As soon as we leave the prison walls, we are left to our own devices. Our only obligation is to report to the police we have served prison time. Some never even do that. When we apply to the Labor Bureau, they offer us no hope. They say that times are hard for everyone and that employers are the ones who choose the candidates, and it will be difficult to decide to accept an ex-convict ", says the former convict from Bijelo Polje to ZA

There are no subsidies for employers

In Montenegro, there are still no certain subsidies for employers who decide to hire ex-convicts. As "Vijesta" was unofficially informed by the Institute, there is no money for this this year, but there may be next year.

The reintegration of these people into society and their return to their families means a great incentive to start a new, more suitable life. However, strong support from the institutions of the system is also needed, in order for these persons to remain on this new path.

"My godfather has four children. He swore on his parents' grave that he would never break the law because of them again. And he succeeded, but only for half a year. During that time, he tried to get a job anyway, and when he failed, he started dealing drugs . Of course, he ended up in prison again. The first time he was there for theft, and now for a more serious crime," said AZ

In Montenegro, the NGO sector deals only sporadically with a certain level of resocialization. Many only declaratively. Nikšić's "Revival" really does that, but only in cases where they are ex-convicts and drug addicts.

He points out that many people who "have never been problematic, on any basis, and have graduated from certain schools" are also without work.

He points out that many people who "have never been problematic, on any basis, and have graduated from certain schools" are also without work.

"But if, in communication with important international institutions, our mouths are full of taking into account the so-called marginalized categories, then I believe that there is no realistic person who can say that addicts, whether they were once in prison or not, are not marginalized , stigmatized, discriminated against... Surely there would be less return to addiction and criminal offenses if there were designed continuous resocialization programs for these categories of people," Bulajić believes.

"Revival" recognized this and "through the project, the duration of which, unfortunately, is limited, launched the first Center for resocialization of rehabilitated addicts and prisoners who completed rehabilitation in one of the communes or therapeutic communities with which they cooperate".

Addiction is a key problem

"At the Center, people can receive experiential or professional counseling, group or individual, a foreign language and computer course, a planned continuation of education... It is also true that due to the "slow" communication with the ZIKS administration, we have not yet had the opportunity to communicate with the prisoners themselves and acquaint them with what can await them after serving their sentence," Bulajić said.

He added that the proposal for the Cooperation Agreement has been agreed upon and that in the coming period it is expected to intensify activities on this basis, so that people who leave prison could "benefit from their actions".

"From my point of view, the key problem is addiction, because it is what "triggers" a person to commit criminal acts. We need to get money for drugs, in order not to be in a crisis, from which every addict runs headlong. So the less addiction there is, the fewer crimes there are," says Bulajić.

And as for the work of the "authorities", with the strengthening of the prisoner's personality, work should be done in parallel to spread the awareness of the entire population about this problem. One without the other would not have given any results, believes Bulajić.

Return to heroin

I know a man from Nikšić who was in Spuž for about three years, and before that he was a heroin addict. Although he could, he did not use drugs in prison. After his release, he could not find his way in the outside world. He wanted to get married but could not find a job. After a year, he stopped fighting and made the worst possible choice, he returned to heroin - said MJ from Pljevlja. He says he somewhat understands his former roommate.

"I myself am on numerous trials. Neither family nor society, no one trusts me anymore. I doubt that I will ever find a job. The whole of Montenegro is a small community, we all know everything about everyone. So what is left for me, what can I do except to I smuggle, I deal, I steal," said MJ

A dozen ex-convicts with whom "Vijesti" spoke believe that the key role of the state is to reduce recidivism, and therefore to reduce costs from the state budget for the treatment of returnees.

"It is necessary to create a team consisting of a criminologist, a psychologist, a sociologist, a social worker and others, which, at least in the first six months after leaving prison, would work with ex-convicts, primarily on strengthening their personality, education and so on. it certainly gave results in a large percentage", concludes one of the former prisoners who is now free, but has no job.

The Employment Office deals with strengthening self-confidence

At the Employment Office, former convicts are included in psycho-social support programs, "which aim to strengthen self-confidence, self-esteem, influence motivation, adaptation and integration into the work and social environment" after registering on the unemployment register.

"Also, we inform them about the state of the labor market, how to look for a job, how to present yourself to an employer, how to make yourself more employable and competitive on the labor market. The Government Regulation on subsidies for the employment of certain categories can contribute to greater employment of these persons of unemployed persons, the adoption of which was initiated by the Employment Office, if persons in post-penal treatment are in one of the prescribed categories (persons older than 40, employed in seasonal jobs, involved in public works, etc.)," ​​said Rakočević.

The text was realized in cooperation with the Danish Organization for Support of Investigative Journalism Projects in Southeast Europe - SCOOP

Gallery