The Botswana Prison Service (BPS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Boitekanelo College to strengthen prisoner rehabilitation, staff development and research into the causes of crime.
The partnership will give Boitekanelo students, particularly those studying rehabilitation, nursing and related disciplines, opportunities to undertake practical training within correctional facilities. The Prison Service says this will also increase the number of professionals available to support inmates with psychosocial and other rehabilitation needs.
Boitekanelo College, which has more than 3,000 students, said about 500 are enrolled in its School of Rehabilitation and School of Nursing. The college said its students could assist with counselling, psychoeducation, family support and other interventions aimed at preparing inmates for reintegration into society.
The partnership will also allow BPS staff to access postgraduate and other training programmes, particularly in areas such as psychosocial services, occupational services and return-to-work programmes.
BPS Commissioner, Anthony Mokento said the partnership comes at a time when the service is preparing to transition from a prison service to a correctional service, with greater emphasis on changing offenders and preparing them to return to society as productive and law-abiding citizens.
He said the service recognises that it cannot handle rehabilitation alone and needs more skills and manpower to deal with the increasingly complex needs of inmates.
The Commissioner said BPS currently has five inmates serving life sentences, compared with historically having no more than three at a time. He noted that such inmates require extensive counselling and preparation, particularly because Botswana’s law allows for possible parole after seven years, subject to the relevant conditions.
Beyond inmate rehabilitation, the MoU will facilitate joint research into the causes and motivations behind criminal behaviour. Boitekanelo said its research unit could help generate evidence that would inform government policy and improve rehabilitation interventions.
The Prison Service also wants the partnership to extend beyond inmates to victims and communities as part of its reintegration programmes.
The two institutions said the ultimate goal is to ensure that people who leave prison are better prepared to return to their families and communities and contribute positively to society.
The MoU formalises a relationship that has already seen cooperation between the two institutions, including visits and engagement on staff development and training.
