Programme helps to rekindle inmates’ strained familial relations

SINGAPORE - After years of quarrels that resulted in a tense family relationship, the first time Andy (not his real name) felt he truly had a conversation with his parents was when he was in prison.

The 26-year-old inmate had three hours to talk freely with his family as part of Project Rekindle, a programme by Lutheran Community Care Services (LCCS) and the Singapore Prison Service (SPS).

It was at that session that Andy saw his father cry for the first time – a moment that is etched in his mind – as they discussed their relationship and how to better understand each other.

“I thought they didn’t really care about me and didn’t want to know anything about what I did,” said Andy, who is currently serving a 5½-year jail term for drug-related offences.

The session – called a “family circle” – is based on the concept of restorative practices, an approach to conflict resolution that involves all parties and aims at repairing and strengthening relationships.

Ahead of a group session, both sides will be prepared on some possible topics so that they will feel more comfortable sharing their experiences, said Mr Nigel Lee, a manager at LCCS overseeing the programme.

Mr Lee noted that many inmates who return to the community without family support are likely to go back to their old ways.

By reconnecting inmates and their families during the prison term, the goal is to lower the likelihood of recidivism by building back these familial ties before their release back to society, he added.

Initially piloted from September 2022 to March 2023, the programme had a second run in 2024, involving 15 inmates and their families across both groups.

An SPS spokeswoman said that following positive feedback on Project Rekindle from inmates and their families, SPS will progressively expand the initiative in 2025 for three more runs, together with LCCS.

SPS works with about 20 partners to deliver structured family programmes in prison, to help increase inmates’ knowledge, skills and confidence in maintaining ties and building stronger relationships with their family members.

In 2023, more than 3,000 inmates and families benefited from such programmes, which include Project Rekindle, said the spokeswoman.

SPS has also been deepening the use of restorative practices in prisons, such as through the Empatherapy Programme since 2021, she added.

The programme, launched at Institution B1, a maximum-security facility, is meant to build a more cohesive culture and community between inmates, as well as between them and prison staff.

Inmates discuss designated topics collaboratively planned by Empatherapy Peer Supporters and correctional unit staff on a weekly basis in “circles”, enhancing their interpersonal skills and developing positive relationships, the spokeswoman said.

The programme’s success led to the setting up in 2022 of the Peer Supporter Academy, which trains inmate peer supporters. To date, there have been 262 inmate peer supporters trained across the various prison institutions.

Another inmate who said Project Rekindle has improved his relationship with his parents and brother is Aaron (not his real name), who is serving a 25-year sentence for drug-related offences.

The family circle gave the family members a chance to hold one another and be in the same room as they talked about the situation surrounding Aaron’s incarceration, which for years they had not addressed.

It was also a happy memory – “which is very rare” – that is frequently brought up when his parents and brother visit him, Aaron added.

His hope is to eventually be able to discuss deeper topics with his parents during such visits, such as his feelings or his friends, besides the usual questions about food or the weather.

As for Andy, his relationship with his parents has slowly improved since they participated in the programme’s 2022 pilot run, which has led to more frequent visits by them and fortnightly e-letters that he can read on prison-provided tablets.

Andy, who hopes to become a personal trainer, said he has become more open with them about his post-incarceration goals, and that his parents have been receptive.

They have also been discussing a family trip to Taiwan after his release, slated for January 2026, which Andy is looking forward to as he has never flown on a plane.