Chapter 5.5: Home detention 1st
interview
< ’Wednesday’ A new day
arrived> I stare at the ceiling blankly. I know it is
now 5am as the lights have just switched on and I can hear my
neighbor showering. I have now slowly adapted to the prison’s
life.
Although I know today will be
another long meaningless day for me, I am still looking forward to
meet new inmates and learnt more about the meaning of life. I want
to make used and promise myself to be useful to the society again
after my release. I have done many stupid things and due to my
selfishness, I have made people near me suffered as well. Although
I know myself I am not a professional legal trained.. I really hope
whatever I reveal in my story can help and change people’s
life.
After my breakfast, I was being
notified to attend a interview regarding PPP program (Home
detention scheme). Beside me, there are a few other inmates from
other dayrooms as well. We were being escorted to the interview
room within the same building and we were all being briefed by a
highly ranked prison officer in the interview room.
He told that based on our
records and backgrounds, we were selected and he will recommend us
for PPP Program (Home Detention scheme). However, he told us that
it is still not confirm as there are requirement, terms &
conditions for us to fulfill and we are to undergo a second
interview 1 week later if we wish to take up the PPP
program.
He briefed us on our estimated
home detention duration and other important requirement for PPP
program:
- Require a normal
‘Singtel’ Telephone line for home detention more than 7
days
- No smoking/ drinking/
gambling (buying of 4D/ TOTO) during detention
program
- Inmates are only allowed
to leave our house from 12pm – 3pm daily (Different timing for
special occasions).
- We are to be 24 hours for
spot checks and be prepared to recall back to CPC for urine check
at all time.
We’ll have the option to reject
the home detention scheme and don’t be surprised that there are a
few inmates who actually rejected the home detention scheme on the
spot.
They claimed that they don’t have
family support ( either homeless or staying alone), some felt that
the duration of the program is too short and some thought it is too
troublesome so they rather choose to stay in prison to complete
their sentences.
What is Home Detention
Scheme:
"Home Detention" , in
relation to a prisoner, means the serving by the prisoner of his
sentence of imprisonment in such place or places, outside the
limits of any prison, as may be specified in the home detention
order;
"home detention order"
means an order of the Director under section 52;
"Superintendent" , in
relation to a prisoner, means the Superintendent of the prison from
which the prisoner had been released for home
detention.
Order for home
detention
52.
Subject to section 53, the Director may, if he thinks fit, by order
release a prisoner who is eligible for home detention for a period
not exceeding 12 months or such other period as the Minister may,
by notification in the Gazette, prescribe in substitution
thereof.
Eligibility for
home detention
53.
—(1) A prisoner is eligible to be released for home detention under
section 52 if —
(a) he is serving a
sentence of imprisonment for a term of not less than 4 weeks or
such other period as the Minister may, by notification in the
Gazette, prescribe in substitution thereof;
(aa) he has served not
less than 14 days of his sentence of imprisonment or such other
period as the Minister may, by notification in the
Gazette, prescribe in substitution thereof;
and
(b) he is not a
prisoner specified under the Schedule as being disqualified from
being released for home detention under section 52.
(1A) The
disqualification of a prisoner under subsection (1) (b)
may be removed by the Minister if he considers that the prisoner is
deserving of home detention, having regard to the circumstances of
the case, including the following factors:
(a) the prisoner’s
progress and response to rehabilitation in prison;
(b) the prisoner’s
family support; and
(c) the risk of
recidivism by the prisoner.
(2) For the purpose of
subsection (1) (a), the total consecutive periods of
imprisonment of whatever nature shall be treated as one
sentence.
Conditions for
home detention
54.
—(1) A prisoner subject to a home detention order shall
—
(a) remain indoors at
his place of residence or at such other place or places as may be
designated by the Director in the order, and between such times as
may be specified in the order;
(b) wear at all times
on such part of his body as the Director may specify, such
electronic transmitting device as may be issued by the Director for
the purpose of securing the electronic monitoring of his
whereabouts by means of an electronic monitoring
device;
(c) allow the
Superintendent and any person authorised by the Superintendent to
enter at any time his place of residence, or such other place or
places designated by the Director under paragraph (a), to
install, inspect, maintain, repair or retrieve any electronic
monitoring device;
(d) allow a telephone
line at his place of residence, or at such other place or places
designated by the Director under paragraph (a), to be
connected to an electronic monitoring device;
(e) ensure that there
is no call waiting or call transfer facility attached to the
telephone line referred to in paragraph (d) and that the
telephone line is not connected to any cordless telephone,
telephone answering machine, parallel telephone line, modulator —
demodulator unit or any other equipment which may interfere with
the proper functioning of the electronic monitoring
device;
(f) not disconnect,
remove, damage, tamper with, or lose the electronic transmitting
device issued to him or the electronic monitoring device installed
at his place of residence or at such other place or places
designated by the Director under paragraph (a), or
disconnect, remove, damage or tamper with the telephone line
connected to the electronic monitoring device;
(g) immediately inform
the Superintendent or any prison officer of any malfunction or loss
of, or damage to, the electronic transmitting device or the
electronic monitoring device;
(h) respond promptly to
any telephone call from any person appointed by the Director to
monitor prisoners who have been issued with an electronic
transmitting device; and
(i) comply with such
other conditions as the Director may specify in the
order.
(2) The Director may at
any time by order in writing served on the prisoner subject to a
home detention order —
(a) vary, cancel or add
to any of the conditions specified in subsection (1);
or
(b) exempt the prisoner
from any of the conditions specified in subsection
(1).
Effect of home
detention order
55.
Where a home detention order is in force in respect of a prisoner
—
(a) the prisoner shall
be deemed to be serving his sentence of imprisonment;
(b) the prisoner shall
be deemed to be in the lawful custody of the Superintendent;
and
(c) the prisoner is
entitled to earn remission in respect of the period of imprisonment
which is served under the order.
Recall to
prison
56.
—(1) If a Superintendent has reason to suspect that a prisoner has
failed to comply with any of the conditions of the home detention
order, or has committed a disciplinary offence while being subject
to a home detention order, the Superintendent may —
(a) make such inquiry
as may be necessary to ascertain whether the prisoner has failed to
comply with any of the conditions of the home detention order or
committed a disciplinary offence while being subject to the order;
and
(b) recall the prisoner
to prison pending the completion of the inquiry.
(2) The period of the
home detention order of a prisoner who is recalled to prison under
subsection (1) (b) shall continue to run, notwithstanding
the fact that he is recalled to prison, unless the order is revoked
under section 57 or suspended under section 58.
Revocation of
home detention order
57.
—(1) If the Director is satisfied that —
(a) a prisoner has
failed to return to prison after he has been recalled to prison
under section 56 (1) (b);
(b) a prisoner has
failed to comply with any of the conditions of the home detention
order;
(c) a prisoner has
committed a disciplinary offence while being subject to a home
detention order;
(d) the whereabouts of
a prisoner can no longer be electronically monitored at his place
of residence, or at such other place or places at which the
prisoner is required to remain within doors under the conditions of
the home detention order; or
(e) it is necessary in
the public interest to do so,
the Director may revoke
the home detention order in respect of that prisoner and recall the
prisoner to prison, and the prisoner shall, if at large, be deemed
to be unlawfully at large.
(2) Upon the revocation
of the home detention order under subsection (1), the prisoner
shall serve the unexpired part of his sentence of imprisonment in
prison.
Suspension of
home detention order
58.
—(1) Subject to subsection (2), where a prisoner subject to a home
detention order is punished for a minor prison offence under
section 70 (1) (a) or (b), or for an aggravated
prison offence under section 71
(1) (b) or
(c), the home detention order in respect of the prisoner
shall, unless revoked under section 57, be suspended from the date
on which the prisoner is punished for —
(a) the period that the
prisoner is confined in a punishment cell pursuant to an order
under section 70 (1) (a) or 71 (1) (b);
or
(b) the period of
remission which is forfeited pursuant to an order under section 70
(1) (b) or 71 (1) (c).
(2) If a prisoner is
punished with both confinement in a punishment cell under section
70 (1) (a) or 71 (1) (b) and forfeiture of
remission under section 70 (1) (b) or 71 (1) (c),
the period for which the home detention order shall be suspended
under subsection (1) shall be the sum of the period for which the
prisoner is ordered to undergo confinement and the period of
remission forfeited.
Powers to enter
and search
59. A
police officer of or above the rank of Assistant Superintendent of
Police or a police officer authorised by him may —
(a) enter and search a
place without a warrant to effect the arrest of any prisoner who
has failed to return to prison after he is recalled by the
Superintendent under section 56 (1) (b); and
(b) in order to effect
an entrance into that place, break open any outer or inner door or
window of that place if he cannot otherwise obtain admittance
thereto.
After the briefing, we
were told by the officer to wait outside as he need to interview us
individually. While waiting for my turn for the interview, I spoke
to the inmate who was sitting beside me.
He is 3xx2. He is a
indian in mid-forties. He told me that he was being charged for
robbery. He was sentenced to jail term for 2 years 6 months +
strokes of rotan (I don’t quite remember how many)
There was a
day when a foreign worker from china tried to pick pocket one of
his friend in the midnight. 3xx2 was with his friend and other 2
when this incident happened. His friend noticed that he had been
pickpocket by the foreign worker and he told the group about it.
Soon, the group managed to find and capture the foreign worker.
They forced him into their van. They drove to Lim Chu Kang
cemetery, tied him up and bash him up. The foreign worker plead to
stop and offered them all his money in his pocket (about $10000).
The group agreed and left quickly after taking the foreign worker’s
money.
The group
was arrested by the police within 1 week after the
robbery.
From what
he told me, I thought he was helping out a friend, out for revenge
and to teach the foreign worker a lesson. In the end, his greed has
destroyed him and his group of friends.
Soon I was being called
into the interview room and the officer start to ask questions
about my lifestyle, my work history, my crimes and my family
background. The whole interview lasted for about 20 minutes. I was
told to wait and I will be informed for the second interview if I
am eligible.
Back to my cell room
629, I was informed to pack my belongings after 3pm muster check as
I am transferring to other cell room....
Chapter 6: B4, HU1, Room
208
To Be
Continued
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