When
inmates and ex-offenders become frustrated in their new jobs, the
first person they often vent their anger on is their case manager
from the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE).
For
SCORE case manager Md Adhha Jimari, understanding that inmates and
ex-offenders sometimes just need a listening ear helps him deal with
their anger.
As
a case manager, his task is to help inmates and ex-offenders look for
jobs and ensure that they stay in it for at least six months, an
important role in helping ex-offenders reintegrate back into the
society upon their release.
A
prison officer who was seconded to SCORE since June 2009, Mr Adhha
believes that understanding how inmates and ex-offenders think is the
key to helping them rebuild their lives.
“My
experience as prison officer helped me know when to come in and when
to back off when they get angry,” said Mr Adhha, who has 10 years
of experience as a prison officer.
The
33-year-old added: “If you pull the string too much it will snap.”
Inmates
or ex-offenders who just started working can become worried that
others treat them differently, said Mr Adhha.
He
added that even though the employers welcome them, they feel
otherwise because some of them have been incarcerated for a long
time, and their experience behind bars might have changed their
perspective on society.
Mr Adhha took up a Temasek Polytechnic diploma in Correctional and Management Studies sponsored by the Singapore Prison Service.
The course helped him understand why people commit crimes and taught him some ways of dealing with the root causes and motivations of these criminals.
One method that Mr Adhha has found useful is using “family as the soft touch” to keep inmates and ex-offenders motivated in their jobs.
He does so by finding out about each family and its culture and dynamics such as taking note when a household is going through a divorce or if the inmate or ex-offender is the sole bread winner of the family.
“I find out who are their loved ones are and make that as the motivation for them. I tell them: 'It's not about going out to work and earning money, it's about your grandmother who comes every time to prison to visit you at that age,'” said Mr Adhha.
The case manager also gets family members involved in helping the inmates and ex-offenders rebuild their lives.
“When family members are giving their support and it becomes something that everyone is working on, they will be motivated to work,” he added.
For Mr Adhha, the job satisfaction comes from interacting with the inmates and ex-offenders, and helping them work towards a better future.
He said: “The good part is the part where we see them grow. At the end of the day if they really know how to help themselves, as we can only help them in certain aspects, that's where they will succeed in life.”