Despite the decision of many of the precedents to return to their society and declare a break with their past, the community's doubts about them continue to besiege them - even after they have served their sentences - as they are seen as a constant source of concern.
This explains some of them returning to committing the same previous mistakes, which they paid a heavy price for, as the courts deliberate cases daily for young people who returned to commit legal violations and crimes, due to society's rejection of them.
The Ministry of Interior revealed the implementation of 24 specialized programs to support and rehabilitate inmates, as well as a project to amend the Penal Establishments Law to integrate released detainees into society.
Former convicts considered that the rulings issued by society on them are much harsher than the rulings issued by court judges, because their duration is not specified, and because they accompany them everywhere they turn to.
Doctors and psychologists affirm that the suffering of the former convict needs to intensify societal awareness that he is entitled to a second chance to return to the right path again, and to join his community.
In detail, the owners of the precedents affirmed the suffering of the released from the skeptical societal view, which prevents them from re-completing their lives naturally, and joining the community as valid elements, pointing out that obtaining a job or life partner is the most difficult thing they face, because of the "criminal stigma" that Followed them.
A former convict accused of drug abuse and possession (Hamad. M.) said that most members of society feel suspicious of precedents after serving their sentences, especially company owners and recruitment officials, as they hesitate a lot before giving them a job, or agreeing to marry them, because they think that the prisoner, If he is released, he will likely return to committing his crimes again.
He added that he had two precedents to use drugs, the first was because of the indiscretion of young people and bad friends, and the second was because everyone moved away from him after completing his sentence.
He explained that he entered a bad psychological state that brought him back to addiction, except that he received medical and psychological treatment, and he became a good individual, who only lacks the restoration of society's confidence in him.
(Majed H.), who was convicted of drug use, and the court accepted his request to replace the remaining period of the sentence by placing him under electronic supervision after spending half the period, that society’s view and dealing with precedents is harsher than the prison itself, pointing out that society’s rulings take time Far longer than the judgments. This is accompanied by the refusal to appoint them, or grant them jobs, regardless of their academic degrees, skills, or willingness to learn. Also, people do not distinguish between one crime and another, and do not look at the circumstances that prompted this person to violate the law, or the novelty of his age at that time, and the cruelest is that they do not believe his desire to repent.
He added that most of the people who were sentenced to prison terms seek to search for work in order to resume their normal lives, but they do not find those who accept them or employ them, stressing that there is a great injustice that falls on them from society and owners of companies.
(Muhammad A.), who is the son of a person who was tried and imprisoned more than once for writing checks without credit and drug use, saw that the societal stigma is not limited to the owners of antecedents, but extends to their children, indicating that his father and mother are separated, and his mother is married, and she has Sons of her other husband. As for his father, he does not take care of his affairs and the affairs of his five brothers, and he has precedents, which led relatives and neighbors to move away from his children.
He said: "In the event of any altercation between one of us and any of our acquaintances, for any reason, the other party will immediately inform us of our father's past, and we feel that we are not welcome in any family gathering."
For his part, the legal advisor, Hassan Al-Mulla, stressed the need to educate the community that people who have been convicted of crimes and have paid their punishment, deserve an opportunity to return again to the right path, noting that the person should not be punished twice for one crime.
He said: «We faced many precedents who returned to crime and violating the law because of society’s view of them, their ostracism, and their marginalization, especially women. The wrong way, and imprisonment again ».
Attorney Maha Abdullah stressed the necessity of working to reintegrate the released person within his family and community; To return an active element in social and practical life, noting that the family is the basis of society, and it contributes positively or negatively to the psyche of the convict. It also has a fundamental role in overcoming the post-prison crisis, by accepting it and intensifying its care, to help him return a good person again. If he rejects it and does not accept it among his family, it is likely that he will return to violence and wrong behavior, especially women who are vulnerable to being exploited by bad people.
She stressed the necessity for the prison community to accept the prisoner after his release for many reasons, including: the punishment that he received may correct the behavior of him and make him a normal person, noting that this group needs the support of the community to overcome the difficulties they face, especially as the majority of them are in adolescence and youth It is unfair to punish a crime twice.
Advocate Naglaa Ahmed Bedaiwi called to embrace the released persons (precedents) and help them integrate into society, so that they do not return to committing legally criminal acts.
She said: «In many cases, the punishment of precedents is not limited to the law, but also includes society, even after the punishment has been implemented, as this stigma attached to them increases their social isolation, due to the people turning away from them and rejecting them. The closest people to them may abandon them, find it difficult to marry or make friends, or to find decent work by which they can earn their livelihood and give up crime. ”
She noted that many of the young men released in cases of substance abuse are once again returning to their previous mistakes, delinquency and crime, due to the social blockade.
The psychologist, Dr. Ahmed Al-Sayyid, considered that the society’s ruling on precedents often leads to a continuation of criminal behavior, even if they are not convinced of it, then accept themselves little by little as criminals, and act accordingly.
He added that «the former prisoner clashes with the society’s view and the treatment of his members for him, after spending his sentence and leaving civil life again, he discovers that he has become a social outcast, and is not welcomed by others, and that he finds it difficult to find work. In the event that he gets a job, he is treated with caution, and is gradually imposed on him, which affects him psychologically as a result of his feeling of injustice, which generates hatred for his society, so he turns again to bad companions, where he feels equality among them.
The former prisoner clashes with the society's view and the treatment of its members after serving his sentence.