GPS empowers inmates with training, tools for successful reintegration

The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) has been consistent in its mission to rehabilitate inmates, providing them with certified vocational training, essential tools, and official recommendations to facilitate their seamless reintegration into society.
Over the past few years, not only have prisoners been equipped with marketable skills through these comprehensive programs, but the professional development of prison officers has also been enhanced, thereby ensuring a holistic approach to correctional reform.
Recognizing the pivotal role education plays in reducing recidivism, GPS has implemented certified training programs across various trades, including tailoring, carpentry, and mechanics. These programs are designed to provide inmates with tangible skills that enhance their employability upon release.

On a recent televised program of ‘Prison in Focus’, Senior Superintendent of Prisons, Mark Smith, highlighted the significance of certification offered by these programs by stating, “The prison institution would have started a program in terms of having certain programs being certified, which would further solidify the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates into society.”
Complementing these training programs is the ‘Fresh Start’ initiative, which aims to provide inmates with the necessary tools to apply their newly-acquired skills in the real world. Upon the successful completion of their training, and once they have met behavioural standards, inmates are equipped with toolkits that are pertinent to their trade.
A trained tailor, for instance, would receive a sewing machine to enable him to start his own business.
This initiative is dedicated to reducing recidivism and expanding opportunities for occupational training, thereby ensuring that inmates develop the job skills they need to find work after release.
Since its launch in 2022, the ‘Fresh Start’ program has benefited scores of former inmates, providing them with resources and motivation for success upon reentry into the community.
Head of the Prison Service’s Strategic Management Department, Rae-Dawn Corbin-Cameron, has emphasized that toolkits are provided to assist former prisoners to earn an honest living.
Understanding the societal challenges former inmates face, Smith said, the GPS offers official recommendations to potential employers, vouching for the skills and character of the rehabilitated individuals.

This endorsement serves to bridge the gap between incarceration and employment, fostering trust and opening doors to meaningful job opportunities.
“Some inmates would have reached out to the prison administration, asking for recommendations to help them get a job, coupled with the training they’re receiving. This also helps with reintegration into society”, Smith noted.
Acknowledging that effective rehabilitation requires well-trained officers, the GPS last year launched the Prison Trade Instructor Training Program in collaboration with the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE). This program aims to enhance the instructional skills of prison officers involved in inmate education. The inaugural cohort comprises 30 officers tasked with equipping inmates with vocational and technical skills to aid their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
By focusing on both inmates and officers, the GPS has adopted a comprehensive strategy towards correctional reform. The dual emphasis on providing inmates with the tools and certification they need for societal reintegration, alongside enhancing the professional capabilities of prison staff, underscores the GPS’s commitment to fostering a rehabilitative environment.
This approach not only benefits the individuals directly involved, but also contributes to the broader goal of building a safer and more inclusive society.
With $140.2 million allocated for training in 2025, the program is designed to equip prisoners with job-ready skills. And with plans to train 1,600 inmates in 2025, officials believe this program would help reduce crime and ease the burden on the prison system.