147TH INTERNATIONAL SENIOR SEMINAR
VISITING
EXPERTS’
PAPERSVISITING
EXPERTS’ PAPERSCOMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN OFFENDERS’ REHABILITATION:
THE SINGAPORE PRISON SERVICE’S EXPERIENCE

Desmond Kim Chin Tham*

I. AN OVERVIEW OF THE SINGAPORE PRISONS SYSTEM
A. Mission & Operations Philosophy
In Singapore, tough laws and strict regimes in prisons have served us well in deterring potential criminals
from offending, and keeping criminals out of circulation. While incarceration and punishment for offenders
remains a priority, it is also imperative that they do not recidivate. The Prison Service Mission was firstpromulgated in July 19881 to encapsulate the essence of our beliefs. The mission, which was subsequently
re-crafted in 1999, states: “As a key partner in criminal justice, we protect society through the safe custody andrehabilitation of offenders, cooperating in prevention and aftercare.”Together with the Prison Service Mission, a common Operations Philosophy was established as well.
The three elements of security , humanity and rehabilitation were emphasized as key concepts to guide
every officer’s actions. The Operations Philosophy provides the guidelines reflecting our management andmotivation, and enables our prison officers to effectively carry out their institutional objectives.

B. Key Inmate Demographics
As at 30 November 2010, there were about 12,515 incarcerated persons in prisons, of whom about 9.5%
or 1,185 were female. About 29.3% or 3,672 of the inmate population are between 31 and 40 years of age.
About 51.1% of all inmates were incarcerated for drug-related offences.
Based on the release cohort of 2007, Singapore’s recidivism rate2 stands at approximately 26.5%, a slightincrease from the 25.1% of the 2006 cohort.

C. Organizational Structure
The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) administers four maximum, five medium and four low-medium
security institutions. They make up SPS’ line units, and are grouped under three clusters, namely Clusters
A and B (housed within the main Changi Prison Complex) and Cluster C (comprising of decentralized
institutions, i.e. Changi Women’s Prison, Kaki Bukit Centre, Admiralty West Prison and the Selarang Park
Community Supervision Centre) to synergise services and enhance operational efficiency.
At staff level, SPS has six main divisions, viz. Operations, Staff Development, Corporate Services,
Rehabilitation & Reintegration, Strategic Planning & Research, and Intelligence Divisions, comprising 29 units
together with three standalone units, i.e. Public Affairs, Provost and Prison Staff Inspectorate.

D. The Business Framework
The SPS Business Framework is underpinned by the four purposes of imprisonment, i.e. Punishment,* Deputy Director of Prisons/Chief of Staff, Singapore Prison Service, Singapore.
1 The mission in 1988 states: “To strive for excellence and professionalism in support of the Singapore Criminal Justice
System in the safe custody, humane treatment and successful rehabilitation of offenders in preparing them for return to society
as law-abiding citizens”.
2 Recidivism Rate is defined as the percentage of local inmates detained, convicted and imprisoned again for a new offence
within two years from their release.

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Incapacitation, Deterrence and Reform. These serve to guide SPS in carrying out its three core duties of
Executing Justice, Reducing Reoffending and Preventing Offending .
1. Executing JusticeThis is the fundamental purpose of our prisons system, i.e. to execute sentences and corporal punishment
meted out by Singapore’s Courts. Under the arm of “executing justice”, SPS also provides effective andefficient remand services to fellow law enforcement agencies, for example, the immigration authorities andpolice force.
2. Reducing Reoffending
Our second area of responsibility is “Reducing Reoffending”. Our prison system is focused on ensuring
the inmate is adequately rehabilitated so that he or she does not offend again, and adequately resourced tohelp reintegrate him or her back to the community.
3. Preventing Offending
SPS aims to “prevent offending” by moving further upstream of the socio-economic system and stemming
the flow of potential and at-risk persons from entering the cycle of crime. By leveraging the considerable
criminal knowledge we have within our prisons, SPS helps the police and other law enforcement agencies fightand prevent crime.

E. The Rehabilitation Framework
The goal of rehabilitation is the successful reintegration of the offender back to the community as acontributing member of society. The establishment and maintenance of positive community and family
relationships will assist offenders in their reintegration as law-abiding citizens. Strong families can provide
security and meaning to life. Similarly, support and acceptance from the community is just as important in
helping an ex-offender as he or she journeys through this path of recovery.
What ultimately determines successful rehabilitation is the offender’s own desire to change for the better.
Not every criminal or drug abuser may be willing to reform but the right kind of rehabilitative strategy canmotivate offenders to rebuild their lives. In 2000, the Singapore Prison Service’s Rehabilitation Framework
was developed to guide us in our offender’s reformation efforts.
Under the new rehabilitation framework for penal offenders, inmates undergo the following phases:
1. Admission
Inmates are objectively assessed and classified into four broad classes: Class A, B, C or D. The classification
process enables SPS to channel its resources to those with the best chances of benefiting from rehabilitationand to manage the others in an effective manner. A Personal Route Map (PRM) for each penal offender isdrawn up, based on the assessment of his or her risk and needs determined during admission.
2. Deterrence
From admission, the inmate moves through to the deterrence phase which includes periods of selfreflection and drill. Progressive assessments are conducted by the inmate’s personal supervisors during thisperiod.
3. Treatment
In the treatment phase, inmates are employed in either prison industries or domestic work, dependingon their respective PRMs. For instance, Class ‘B’ inmates are given compulsory education to raise theirbasic literacy level and vocational training in skilled prison industries to address their educational andemployment needs. SPS also administers a suite of Specialised Treatment Programmes (STPs), developed
and delivered by prison counsellors and psychologists, which target criminogenic risks, such as substanceabuse, violent behaviour, sexual offending and criminal thinking. Delivered either individually or in groupsessions, these programmes aim to increase offenders’ propensity and motivation to change, help themunderstand the roots of their offending behaviours and to equip them with the necessary skills to avoid arelapse.

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4. Aftercare
For those inmates who need assistance upon their release, the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative
Enterprises’ (SCORE) Employment Assistance Unit (EAU) assist them in securing employment. Aftercare
case management and other welfare assistance are also available through the Singapore Aftercare
Association (SACA), Community Development Councils (CDCs) and other voluntary welfare organizations(VWOs).

II. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN OFFENDERS’ REHABILITATION
A multi-faceted approach is adopted to achieve our core business of “Reducing Reoffending” and recidivism
in Singapore. This involves not just SPS and the offenders themselves, but also other Voluntary Welfare
Organizations (VWOs), governmental agencies, the community at large, as well as families of the inmates.
Active community involvement is present for both in-care as well as the aftercare phase of an inmate’s journey
through incarceration.

A. Community Involvement during In-Care
1. Areas of Involvement
Currently, community partners are involved extensively in the rehabilitation programmes of SPS in thefollowing specific areas:(i) Work
With rehabilitation as an important objective, it is imperative that inmates are taught marketable skills
that will secure them steady employment when they return to society. Hence, SCORE was established asa Statutory Board in November 1975, and it is entrusted with establishing and managing prison industries,
as well as providing vocational training in prisons. It also provides rehabilitative and aftercare services
to inmates before and after their discharge from custody. For instance, SCORE’s EAU looks after theemployment needs of inmates and ex-inmates while they are on the Work Release Scheme (WRS) and
immediately after their discharge. The EAU has a databank of suitable jobs by actively collaborating withmore than 800 private companies in the manufacturing, engineering, building and transportation and service
sectors.
(ii) Education
Another priority is the provision of education (academic or vocational) for the purpose of improving theinmates’ educational status and skills. Academic education is provided through teachers seconded from the
Ministry of Education, while SCORE provides vocational and skills training.
(iii) Religion
Religion is a source of moral support and guidance to many in prison. Faith-based programmes can be
powerful tools in the rehabilitation process as it gives inmates a strong sense of purpose, direction andmeaning in life. Inmates are therefore encouraged to develop their spiritual well-being by turning to theirrespective faiths. Those who wish to embrace any of the main religions, such as Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism
or Christianity, are encouraged to do so. Volunteers from respective faiths conduct religious services andcounseling sessions for them.
(iv) Family-Focused Services & Programmes
The impact of incarceration on families and children of inmates, the unintended victims of crime, is often
significant and negative. Inmates’ families are often is disarray when their family member is imprisoned.
Hence, seeing families through this difficult phase can help foster stronger family bonds and networks upon
the inmates’ release. Since 2006, Family Resource Centres (FRCs) have been set up in SPS to provide social
assistance and support to inmates’ families to help them cope during inmates’ incarceration (for e.g. in theareas of financial difficulties, accommodation issues and emotional counselling) by providing information
and referral services or case work management for the family in need. Additionally, service providers fromthe community are engaged to deliver family programmes such as workshops and group sessions to theinmates to help prepare them for their roles as parents and to encourage reconciliation of broken familial
relationships when they are released.

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RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES No.84(v) Halfway-House Scheme
The Prisons Halfway House (HWH) Scheme, started in April 1995, allows amenable offenders of drug
rehabilitation centres and prisons without strong family support to spend the last stage of detention at
the halfway houses. Currently, there are ten halfway houses participating in the HWH Scheme and theirprogramme comprises counselling, work therapy and moral/religious education. More recently in October
this year, a new HWH Service Model was developed to enable HWHs to operate a more consistent anddedicated programme to better meet offenders’ reintegration needs.
SPS also works closely with the Industrial and Services Cooperative Society Limited (ISCOS), a multipurpose cooperative that seeks to enhance the employment and entrepreneurial opportunities of discharged
inmates. Established in 1989, ISCOS offers ex-offenders job opportunities to help them regain their selfworth and esteem with meaningful employment. This objective is met through providing inmates withon-the-job training and job exposure through enterprises or cooperation with other private companies on a
joint venture or consultancy basis.
Engagement of inmates by ISCOS starts right from the in-care phase, where ISCOS representatives brief
all inmates on the various resources and schemes of work available. Through employment, positive peers
and pro-social activities such as group sports, an ex-offender can benefit much from his or her association
with ISCOS. As at 31 October 2010, total ISCOS membership stands at about 11,000.
2. Community Volunteers – A Critical Partnership
The work of rehabilitation cannot be done by SPS alone. It requires partnering with the community tofurther its mission. Our volunteers have been at the forefront in meeting the potential reintegration needsof our inmates. SPS’ volunteer base has grown from 124 in 1999 to more than 1,200 volunteers over the lastten years.
3. Volunteer Training Programmes
To improve our volunteers’ capabilities to support SPS’ core functions of rehabilitating offenders, astructured pilot training package for volunteers was conducted from January to March 2010. As the trial proved
to be successful with positive feedback from the participants, SPS then decided to launch the volunteer training
programme on a full scale with an expanded scope of training. The volunteer training programmes are targetedat all prison volunteers. Its twin objectives are:•

To orientate and equip the volunteers with the necessary knowledge and skills to engage the prisoners
purposefully, while appreciating the rules and regulations of SPS; and•To upgrade and develop the volunteers’ professional skills through certified courses issued byrecognized and accredited training institutes.

Such training enables SPS to work closely with its volunteers who are aligned and trained to deliver
effective offenders’ rehabilitation programmes.

B. Engaging Strategic Community Partners in the Aftercare Sector
For many, the transition back to society remains a struggle. Maintaining the motivation not to reoffend
requires strong community support, understanding, as well as encouragement from their families. SPS has
pursued several initiatives to pave the way for a more successful offenders’ reintegration. These are elaborated
in the following sections.
1. CARE Network
Formed in May 2000, CARE (Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders) Network brings
together key strategic partners,3 both in government and in the community, who are responsible for offenders’reintegration in Singapore. The Network engages the community in rehabilitation, co-ordinates member
agencies’ activities and develops innovative rehabilitation initiatives for reforming offenders with the following
objectives:
3 Members of the CARE Network include the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Community Development, Youthand Sports (MCYS), the Singapore Aftercare Association (SACA), Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA), the National
Council for Social Services (NCSS), SCORE and ISCOS.

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•
•
•
•
•

To improve the quality of rehabilitative services through knowledge-sharing;
To build awareness and understanding of the rehabilitative process amongst the general public;
To increase efficiency by reducing duplication of work and services between member agencies;
To create a seamless transfer for offenders from in-care to aftercare; andTo mobilize and facilitate the community to take action toward rendering appropriate support
services to help ex-offenders and their families reintegrate into society.

2. Case Management Framework
One of the first initiatives of the CARE Network was the Case Management Framework (CMF) for
reforming offenders in the aftercare phase. This service is delivered by full-time Aftercare Case Managers(ACMs) from the Singapore Aftercare Association4 (SACA) and the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association5(SANA), who aim to facilitate the reintegration of ex-offenders and ex-drug addicts into families and thesociety. Under the CMF, the ACM and client identify the aftercare needs of the client in reintegrating well.
An Individualized Service Plan (ISP) is then drawn up which charts out the resources required in meeting
those needs. The ACM will look for resources from other agencies for services that they do not provide andalso ensures any follow-up required is attended to.
In October 2010, the CARE Network’s website6 was also set up to provide the public with access to
information on the Network and its initiatives. Through this website, a comprehensive directory of community
partners involved in the work of offenders’ rehabilitation is listed to facilitate ease of communication andknowledge sharing within the aftercare industry.

C. The Yellow Ribbon Project: Advocating Community Acceptance & Enhancing Community
Involvement
Ex-offenders often live with the stigma of having served time behind bars. This can often be moredifficult than the prison sentence itself. Many ex-offenders, once released, find themselves stepping into asecond prison of suspicion from society at large because of their past misdeeds. In the absence of community
intervention and support, there is a higher chance of reoffending. Therefore, the importance of community
involvement and the integral role it plays in the reintegration journey of our ex-offenders who are motivatedand desire to change cannot be over-emphasized.
The CARE Network launched the Yellow Ribbon Project (YRP) in 2004, which is an annual campaign
aimed at changing society’s mindset towards ex-offenders by giving them a second chance to succeed in life.
The inspiration behind YRP was taken from a 1970s song entitled, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole’ Oak
Tree.” The lyrics of this song aptly describe an ex-offender’s desire for acceptance and forgiveness from his
loved ones and await the community to set him free: “I’m really still in prison and my love she holds the key,a simple yellow ribbon’s what I need, to set me free…”
The key drivers of the YRP campaign are SPS and SCORE, supported by the CARE Network agencies.
1. Objectives of the YRPThe objectives of YRP are categorized into the ‘Three As,’ which are:
4 The Singapore After-Care Association (SACA) is a voluntary welfare organization acting as the key agency providing welfare
and rehabilitation services for discharged offenders and their families. SACA’s aim is to assist clients and their families to copewith problems arising from the offending behaviour and the consequent incarceration. This is done with the belief that suchassistance will give clients the chance to reintegrate into society successfully, thereby reducing the chances of recidivism.
5 The Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA) is a voluntary welfare organization and was first established in 1972 toassist in the rehabilitation of drug addicts in Singapore. SANA runs various programmes in drug abuse prevention and drug
rehabilitation. SANA was also tasked by the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) to be the coordinating agency
for preventive action against drug abuse in high-risk youth.
6 With a new website in place, not only can agencies exchange aftercare best practices, resources as well as current andrelevant news, the public can also be more informed of CARE Network’s activities and events. In this way, CARE Network
can better engage the community in effecting positive changes in the lives of ex-offenders and their families. Source: www.
carenetwork.org.sg.

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To create ‘Awareness’ of giving second chances to ex-offenders.
To generate ‘Acceptance’ of ex-offenders and their families into the community.
To inspire ‘Community Action’ to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-offenders.

2. Thematic Development
Each year, a different theme will be developed for the YRP campaign to intensify the level of community
engagement, while building upon the successes of campaigns from the preceding year. While the first few
YRP campaigns focused on generating awareness, subsequent campaigns aimed to deepen the YR message
by actively engaging the community through reformed ex-offenders (see Annex A).
3. Publicity & Media Engagement
Brand positioning has also been instrumental to the effectiveness of the YRP campaign. The iconic
yellow ribbon, together with its associated meaning, is easily identifiable and recognizable by Singaporeansfrom all walks of life. The success of the brand also lies with the consistency and discipline of the Yellow
Ribbon message year after year.
YRP also extensively leverages the media as a strategic tool for our campaign messaging. The publiccampaign is launched through print, broadcast, and online advertisements and news features and information.
New social media, such as YouTube, Facebook, mobile phone messages and local internet forums, werealso tapped to effectively publicize our events. In addition, YRP also enjoys wide media coverage from theSingapore media. It provides the media with a fertile spread of interesting story angles, such as highlighting
anecdotal stories with a human touch, the arduous journey of rehabilitation undertaken by ex-offenders, andthe impact it has on their loved ones.
4. Community Engagement Activities
In order to ensure recall and familiarity among the general public, community partners and stakeholders,
media campaigns and key community engagement activities for YRP are always concentrated in the monthof September, which is designated as the official Yellow Ribbon month each year.
A sample of the main YRP events held thus far are as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Yellow Ribbon Concert (2004, 2006 & 2008);
Yellow Ribbon Walk (2005 & 2007);
Yellow Ribbon Conference (2004 to 2008);
Movie Screening “One More Chance” by local celebrities (2005);
Yellow Ribbon Fairs (2004 to 2007);
Yellow Ribbon Creative Festival (2004 to 2010);
Yellow Ribbon Community Art Exhibition (2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010);
Yellow Ribbon Job Fairs; andYellow Ribbon Prison Run (2009 & 2010).

5. Active Involvement of Inmates & Ex-offenders
Inmates and ex-offenders form an integral part of our campaign initiatives. Our fundamental belief is that
inmates and ex-offenders should not be just receiving, but they should also be giving back as much as they
can to others. Therefore, opportunities are given as much as possible to involve inmates and ex-offenders
in our outreach activities. Since the commencement of YRP, inmates have handmade up to 2,000,000 Yellow
Ribbons for distribution. They have also participated in community service projects7 where the proceeds were
donated to charitable causes to help the less fortunate in society (see Annex B). Ex-offenders have also pitched
in by providing transportation and logistics assistance during events, distributing Yellow Ribbons and even
7 In 2006, inmates from SCORE bakery baked 7,000 croissants and raised S$11,000 to help needy children through the ST

Pocket Money Fund. In 2007, inmates baked cookies and sold them at the Yellow Ribbon Fair and raised $12,997 for theHandicap Welfare Association. In 2008, inmates baked mooncakes and raised $5,000 for Yellow Ribbon Fund. In 2009 and 2010,
inmates and ex-offenders cooked and served 500 less privileged in the Tribute of Love Luncheon co-organized with Lions
Clubs of Singapore.

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performing to showcase their talents and reformed ways.
6. Celebrity Engagement & Rehabilitation Ambassadors
Celebrities and Rehabilitation Ambassadors form an important part of the engagement strategy. With theirwide popularity and influence, they are well positioned to help spread the YRP message, serve as crowdpullers, and more importantly, serve as ambassadors in support of the YR campaign. Local and regional artistes
featured consistently in many of our YRP events over the past few years.
7. Community Partnerships
As the YRP was centres on community acceptance, a majority of our YR campaigns were initiated with theintention of running a campaign for the community, by the community. With strong branding of the YRP, many
community and corporate organizations have taken the initiative to collaborate with SPS (see Annex C). Many
community and grassroots leaders, politicians, corporate partners and celebrities had made time and effort
to grace such events, often bringing with them a passion to spread the message of community acceptancefor offenders’ rehabilitation. Community involvement and partnerships also came in the form of donations
and sponsorships, or showing cause for support by donning the Yellow Ribbons, fund-raising or simply byparticipating in the YRP events.
SPS has learned some pertinent lessons from its engagement strategy with community partners. These
include:(i) Central Body for Coordination
A central coordinating body for community involvement in the aftercare sector is most effective. In SPS’case, it has the leverage of the CARE Network initiative, where it can then take the lead to forge strategic
community partnerships for the delivery of both in-care and aftercare programmes and services.
(ii) Preparing the Community to Receive Ex-offenders
As governmental agencies seek to collaborate under the umbrella of CARE Network, the community
at large can be brought on board through national campaigns such as the YRP, where strong community
messages are reinforced and events targeting the various social groups are conducted.
(iii) Selecting a Core Team for Effective Planning & Implementation
In the preliminary planning phase, it is essential to have a committed team of core personnel who will
work with the identified stakeholders on the ‘Branding’, ‘Engagement’ and ‘Execution’ of community
projects. In Singapore’s context, the CARE Network Secretariat holds this responsibility.
(iv) Maximizing the Strengths of Volunteers
The strength and capabilities of community volunteers cannot be underestimated. Besides tapping into
this valuable community resource, there is a conscious need to build on the capabilities of volunteers from the
VWOs and religious organizations for more effective outreach of rehabilitation programmes within prison.
8. The Impact
Into its seventh year of campaigning, the YRP has achieved the following:
•
•
•
•
•

The Registration of Criminals (Amendment) Act was amended in May 2005 to help ex-offenders
reintegrate back into society more easily by making it possible for criminal records to be wiped clean
if the offender stays “crime-free” for no less than five consecutive years;
In 2006, the Land Transport Authority reviewed the guidelines for issuance and renewal of
vocational licenses for drivers of public service vehicles to make it more flexible for ex-offenders to
be issued with the license;
A public perception survey conducted in 2007 found that 94% of Singaporeans were aware of the
YRP core message;
For its contributions to the YRP, SPS was given an Honourable Mention in 2007 for outstandingachievement in public relations campaigns which best exemplify the ideals and goals of the United
Nations;
YRP also received the Public Relations in the Service of Mankind (PRISM) Excellence Award under
the Public Service Campaigns category in 2008;

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•
•
•
•
•
•

In 2009, the Yellow Ribbon Tattoo Removal Programme received the Ministry of Home Affairs’
Operational Excellence Award;
A total of 1.985 million Yellow Ribbons were distributed;
313,000 Singaporeans participated in the YR events;
807 new employers registered with SCORE’s Job Bank;
908 volunteers signed up to volunteer for YRP; andS$7.8 million was raised for the Yellow Ribbon Fund (YRF).

Another key milestone for Care Network was the establishment of the Yellow Ribbon Fund (YRF). The
YRF is the first national charitable fund devoted entirely towards the development and implementation ofrehabilitation and reintegration programmes and services for ex-offenders and their families. Registeredunder NCSS, YRF was granted Institute of Public Character (IPC) status since 1 August 2004.
9. The Success Factors
Over the years, the YRP had been successful in its outreach and has built a high level of awareness andgoodwill. This can be attributed to the following key factors:(i) Passionate Core TeamLed by SPS and SCORE, the core team planned, conceptualized and executed the YR projects to ensure
consistency in messaging. In addition, as key stakeholders of ex-offenders reintegration issues, the coreteam drove each YR project to a higher level as inherent ground knowledge and experiences were translated
into workable community engagement campaigns.
(ii) Branding
A consistent branding strategy helped to send out a clear message to the community so that lay people
could easily relate the YRP to the cause of helping ex-offenders and their families reintegrate into society.
(iii) Effective Use of Levers
The YRPs identified key governmental bodies, community leaders and celebrities as effective levers whose
direct support and engagement lent weight to the project as a cause worthy of support.
(iv) Touching the Heart of the Community
Through the sharing of ex-offenders’ testimonies (successes and failures) and stories of the plights families
faced, especially the impact of incarceration on children, the community can better appreciate the reality ofincarceration. This in turn goes a long way towards helping them to understand reintegration issues faced by
our inmates.

III. UPCOMING INITIATIVESTo enhance coordination of rehabilitation efforts, an Inter-Ministry Committee was set up by the Ministryof Home Affairs (MHA) in April 2009 to study and propose recommendations to address the problem of
reoffending in Singapore. A two-pronged approach of moving further upstream to prevent inter-generational
offending and downstream by preventing offenders’ reoffending were the key thrusts of this Committee.
One of the recommendations made included the need to strengthen community-based networks that would
serve to provide protective factors for inmates, as well as to strengthen SPS’ volunteer engagement system bybuilding both capacity and capability in the community.
Another key focus is to leverage on the grassroots and community in taking ownership of offenders’rehabilitation. This can be seen from the increasingly active participation and initiatives mooted by community
groups to reach out to inmates and their families residing within their jurisdictions.
While currently still a work-in-progress, it is expected that when these recommendations are fully
implemented, it will further strengthen the rehabilitation and aftercare efforts in Singapore.

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IV. CONCLUSIONSPS should never function in a vacuum. It needs to tap into the expertise of its strategic partners andthe community at large. The success of its various initiatives is attributed to a very supportive pool ofcommunity partners, who are passionate in working toward a common cause of successful reintegration of
ex-offenders.
The work on rehabilitation is also an ongoing effort. What it takes to make it work is passion and effort,and developing one initiative at a time. This is best summed up in the words of the former U.S. President
John. F. Kennedy, who once said: “All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it befinished in the first thousand days, Nor in the life of this administration, Nor even perhaps in our lifetime on
this planet. But let us begin...
And this is something SPS has begun.

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ANNEX A
THEMES FOR YELLOW RIBBON PROJECT CAMPAIGNS (2004 - 2010)
Campaign
Year

2004

2005

2006

Engaging theCommunity

Engaging
ExOffenders

2007

2008

2009

2010

Giving Back

This isMy Yellow
Ribbon.
This is My
Journey.

ThemesCreating
Awareness

IntentGoing
Engaging the
ExtendingInmates andbeyondSelling thecommunity
Widening the our reach,awareness ex-offenders
Message –Give themfor action
inspiringreach, deepplaying a roleto action
Help Unlock
a Second
to help exaction inening theto give backby actively
the Second Lease of Life
offendersinmates andmessageto society
engaging thePrisonreintegrate
ex-offenders
community

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ANNEX B
NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ON YELLOW RIBBON PROJECT

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ANNEX CKEY COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS OF THE YELLOW RIBBON PROJECTYear

Key Community Collaborations

Outcome2006

Joint collaboration with North East Community Development
Council to hold a Yellow Ribbon Job Fair in prisons.

Helped inmates to secure employment before theirrelease; led to placement exercises in prisons since
then.

2007

Joint collaboration with Raffles Hotel to hold the first Yellow
Ribbon Cooking Competition in prisons.

Discovered inmates’ talents. Led to the developmentof the Yellow Ribbon Culinary Programme whereinmates get to undergo a certified culinary course.

2008

Joint collaboration with AVIVA to raise awareness and funds for
the YRF through the AVIVA Ironman Triathlon Competition.

Over $20,000 was raised for the Yellow Ribbon Fund.

2009

Yellow Ribbon Tattoo Removal Programme for inmates who want
to remove their gang related tattoos. The two-year programmethat cost S$1 million is fully sponsored by a community partner.

Over 100 inmates benefited from the programme.
Continuation of the programme is in discussion.

2010

YR NECDC Rekindle Programme with North East Community
Development Council for Reformative Training Centre inmates.
The programme aims to reconcile inmates and their families
and prepare them before the release of the inmates.

Over 30 inmates and 60 family members benefited
from the programme. The programme will continue
for another two years.

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