More reformative trainees staying away from crime as two-year recidivism rate falls

SINGAPORE – When he was just three years old, his father died of a drug overdose.

Fai, not his real name, was then left in the care of his grandmother, with his mother seemingly having abandoned him, as she was never around.

The 19-year-old said that because of this, he grew up feeling empty and broken.

He said: “I saw friends who have both their parents around, and I thought to myself, if only I had that.”

Seeking solace, he ended up in bad company and, in March 2023, was involved in a case of rioting for which he was sentenced to reformative training, a strict regime of rehabilitation.

Reformative training seeks to turn young offenders around through counselling and regimented programmes that teach them skills to give them a second chance in life.

After serving their sentence at the Reformative Training Centre (RTC), trainees can re-enter the community under a supervision order.

Fai, who is still serving his six-month sentence, said he was initially worried about going to RTC, but the programme helped him to come to terms with his past.

Reformative training has proven to be effective for young offenders like Fai.

The two-year recidivism rate for trainees fell from 28.8 per cent in the 2018 cohort to 16.3 per cent in the 2021 cohort, said Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim on Aug 21 at a ceremony to mark the end of reformative training for the current batch of inmates.

Figures released in February 2024

by the Singapore Prison Service showed that the two-year recidivism rate for the overall local inmate population for the 2021 release cohort stood at 22 per cent.

Fai said the counsellors in RTC reached out to his mother. It was then that he found out she had left him with his grandmother because she could not cope, and was sleeping in public places after her husband died.

Fai said: “My mother then told me that the reason she wasn’t around was because she didn’t want me to suffer with her, and thought that I was safer with my grandmother. She said she was sorry for abandoning me, and regretted not coming back to see me.”

When his mother revealed this while visiting him at RTC, he realised he had been wrong to blame her and told her he forgave her.

Fai said he is very thankful for how RTC has helped him make peace, and is resolved to mend his relationship with his mother once he completes his sentence.

On Aug 21, he took part in the RTC Epilogue Ceremony, which is held at the tail end of the inmates’ sentence.

The ceremony included a foot drill display and family engagement session.

Associate Professor Faishal, who was the guest of honour, said: “This reduction (in recidivism) shows that the youth are playing their part, and are really making significant improvements in the way that they have looked at or internalised the programmes that they have undergone here at the RTC.

“At the same time, it is due to the effective, transformative and reformative training regime that we have embarked on at the RTC.

“We find that this encouraging improvement provides us the opportunities to work together, not only with the youth, but also with partners to continue this effort so that we can help many more youth.”

Rehabilitation officer Ewen Thai, a senior correctional unit officer, said dignity and respect were key in engaging the reformative trainees.

He said that while officers may be strict and scold reformative trainees every time they are out of line, this would not help the young offenders in their journey to reform.

“It’s not just what we do, but how we do it. I’ve learnt to put aside my own ego and give them that dignity to earn their respect,” he added.

“We spend time with them and let them talk, and after a while you understand what is the best way to get through to them.”