March 5, 2025
DAK LAK – Over the past few years, inmates in Đắk Trung Prison in Đắk Lắk Province have started preparing for jobs ready for their reintegration into the community.
Located in Ea Kpam Commune, Cư M’Gar District, Đắk Lắk Province, Đắk Trung Prison holds more than 3,000 inmates.
The facility has focused on implementing policies for inmates to foster ‘seeds of kindness’ and provide motivation for each prisoner to make efforts in rehabilitation and strive to become useful upon their reintegration into society.
Vocational training enhancement
The prison management board has organised several workshops for inmates with the aim to prepare a career path for when they rejoin the community.
In the woodworking vocational training area, each inmate has a task. Some are planing, some sawing, others cutting, stamping or carving. Everyone is focused, meticulous and swift in both learning and practising.
Inmate P.V.Đ. was born in 1973 and lived in Đắk Song District, Đắk Nông Province before being sentenced to nine years in prison for abusing trust to appropriate property. Now, after six years of serving his sentence, P.V.Đ. is the team leader of the woodworking unit in Subdivision 1.
He has mastered the craft and can produce tables, chairs, doors and cabinets, passing on his skills to other inmates.
The inmate said that when he was first moved to the prison, he knew nothing about woodworking.
“Thanks to the guidance of prison officers, I have now acquired a skill. Once I complete my sentence, I plan to return to my hometown and open a carpentry workshop to rebuild a new life,” Đ said.
Learning a vocation in prison has given him the motivation to improve himself.
During training, inmates encourage each other to work hard and persevere in acquiring expertise.
N.T.C., 28, from Đắk Lắk Province’s Krông Ana District, was sentenced to three years in prison by the Đắk Lắk Provincial People’s Court for intentional infliction of injury. Like Đ, N.T.C. quickly picked up woodworking skills during his time in Đắk Trung Prison and can now make tables, chairs, cabinets and beds.
His goal after release is also to open a carpentry workshop in his hometown, earning an income to support his parents and create jobs for young people in his community.
Beyond woodworking, Đắk Trung Prison offers training in various other jobs, including handicraft weaving, machine repair, cashew nut processing, rubber tapping, construction, farming and animal husbandry.
Over the years, the organisation of prison labour and vocational training has gradually stabilised.
Inmate N.M.T., born in 1988, from Krông Năng District, was sentenced to three years in prison for gambling.
After nearly seven months of serving his sentence, he has learned how to repair, assemble and paint motorbikes.
He believes that acquiring a skill in prison increases an inmate’s chances of employment post-release.
“Motorbike repair is a practical skill, so I am determined to master it to support my wife and two young children,” he said.
According to Colonel Lê Trọng Ngà, the prison’s deputy warden, most inmates come in without vocational skills.
Each year, based on conditions, climate and available resources, the prison organises labour and vocational training for inmates, aiming for a training success rate of 65-70 per cent annually.
Income from inmate labour is used to supplement their monthly food rations and reward those with good rehabilitation progress.
Before inmates complete their sentences, the prison invites political and social organisations to provide consultations on credit policies for former prisoners, helping them access financial resources to apply their learned skills in real life.
Path to redemption
Within Đắk Trung Prison, alongside vocational training workshops, literacy classes echo through each subdivision weekly.
These classes are for inmates who are illiterate or have limited reading and writing skills.
Inmate V.V.T., 40, from Buôn Ma Thuột City, who was sentenced to ten years in prison for illegal drug trading, is an example.
During his time at the prison, he was taught how to read and write by prison officers.
Now, he can read and write at a basic level, perform simple calculations and read letters from his wife and children.
Learning to read and write has given him hope for a brighter future and aids him in woodworking tasks.
Each literacy class at the prison lasts 18 months, divided into two groups of about 20 students each. Literacy training not only improves inmates’ knowledge but also equips them with the necessary skills to reintegrate into society successfully after release.
Currently, Đắk Trung Prison houses eleven children living with their incarcerated mothers, with the youngest under one month old and the oldest over two years old.
The prison ensures child care following the Law on Children and Government Decree 118/2024/NĐ-CP.
On special occasions like holidays, Children’s Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival, gifts are provided for the children. Their nutrition, vaccinations and medical care are prioritised.
Inmate N.H.B.T., 24, from Cam Ranh city of Khánh Hòa Province, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for murder. She only discovered her pregnancy after she was sent to prison.
Last December, she and her child were transferred to Đắk Trung Prison to continue serving her sentence.
Every day, she cares for her child while assisting in looking after other children in the facility.
Encouraged by prison officers, she is committed to rehabilitation and caring for her child.
“Seeing my child grow healthy gives me hope and determination to reform and benefit from leniency policies, allowing me to reunite with society sooner,” she said.
Over the years, Đắk Trung Prison has continuously innovated and improved its educational and rehabilitation efforts, fostering a clean and humane environment.
The institution prioritises education and rehabilitation for its prisoners, holding classes on current affairs and legal education for inmates every year.
They are also allowed visits from family, receive mail and packages, and make phone calls to stay connected with loved ones.
Upon admission, inmates undergo health checks to assign suitable work. Juvenile offenders are held separately and receive education and work arrangements according to regulations.
Alongside vocational training, the prison’s management and the Amnesty Review Council actively collaborate to assess and recommend sentence reductions, ensuring that well-rehabilitated inmates benefit from the Party and State’s humanitarian policies.
Colonel Ngà said that during amnesty periods, after receiving guidelines from the Central Advisory Council on Amnesty, Đắk Trung Prison would publicly announce and explain the process to prisoners.
Following an internal vote among inmates, the prison’s management and Amnesty Review Council would carefully evaluate applications to ensure transparency, fairness and adherence to regulations, he said.
Last year, Đắk Trung Prison granted amnesty to 63 prisoners.
By effectively implementing policies for inmates, Đắk Trung Prison not only enhances rehabilitation outcomes but also provides support, instilling hope and opening a path to redemption for those who have strayed, allowing them to rebuild their lives.